What it means
A wee term of endearment, like love or darling, that gets chucked about with pals, family, coworkers, and even strangers in the shop. It’s especially common around Glasgow and the Central Belt. Most of the time it’s warm and friendly, but if the tone’s off it can land a bit patronising. Still, being called hen by some random aunty is pure sunshine.
Usage examples
"Hen, is this the queue or are we aw just hovering like lost pigeons? Aye, it’s the queue. Sound, I’ll bide here then, cheers hen."
"Sit yourself down, hen, I'll put the kettle on and you can tell me all about it."
"Aw hen, don't you worry about the vase, it was cracked anyway and nobody liked it."
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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