Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 13000; Flight Crew Type 2000
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
During final segment to VHHH; flight contacted VHHK Radar 5 minutes from SIERA.  We were initially issued SIERA 1G RNAV arrival. At SIERA; clearance was changed to fly SIERA 6D arrival for Runway 25R by VHHK Approach.  Captain (pilot flying) noticed that with the change; we had a discontinuity between TD & RIVER & closed the points together; informing First Officer (pilot monitoring) of his action.  We were then given a non standard clearance; 'Cleared approach 25R by full arrival.'  I questioned the Controller to repeat and we were again told; 'Cleared 25R approach by full arrival.'  I read back clearance verbatim.  Pilot flying checked the arrival chart and determined that the Controller wanted us to fly LNAV to RIVER from TD and we were cleared for ILS 25R from RIVER.  Immediately passing TD; Approach Control told us to turn right to heading 350 and that our approach clearance was canceled due to non compliance with routing.  Upon discussion we determined that the clearance he wanted us to fly was the TD transition for 25R; but we were never issued that transition.  We were then given radar vectors to final approach course.  We also heard another ACR flight behind us given the same non standard clearance phraseology and question the Controller about what his intentions were.  Our flight landed without further incident.
A cargo crew on an initial VHHH RNAV Arrival did not understand the Controller's phraseology and while attempting to comply with the clearance; were told they had a track deviation and given vectors to the airport.