aap3押
Jyutpingaap3
Yaleaap
Definition
To pledge, pawn, or leave property or money as collateral to secure a loan or debt.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Refers specifically to the act of pawning items for quick cash. While it can function as a verb, it is most commonly encountered in the context of 押舖, the traditional pawn shops that remain a visible part of Hong Kong street culture. The process is distinct from formal banking loans because it relies entirely on the collateral value of the object left behind.
Examples
Take your watch to the pawn shop and get some cash to use for now.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 壓, which means to press or crush. While they may share similar visual components, 押 is strictly tied to the concept of security or collateral.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
