baai3 gin3拜見拜见
Jyutpingbaai3 gin3
Yalebaai gin
Definition
To pay a formal visit to an elder or a person of higher status.
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How it's used
Carries a strong sense of formality and respect, often reserved for significant occasions like Lunar New Year or meeting someone of high social standing. It is rarely used in casual social settings among peers, where terms like 探望 or 搵 are much more appropriate. Using it in a lighthearted context can sound overly dramatic or sarcastic.
Examples
During the New Year, one must pay a formal visit to the elders.
When will you be free to pay him a formal visit?
Related words
Common phrases
pay a formal visit to elders
pay a formal visit to a master or teacher
Common mistake
Learners often use this for any kind of visit, but it specifically implies a hierarchical relationship where the visitor is showing deference to the host. Do not use it for visiting friends or casual acquaintances.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
