baak6 sau2白首

Jyutpingbaak6 sau2

Yalebaahk sáu

Definition

White-haired, referring to old age.

writtenpeopledescriptions

How it's used

Literary in nature, this term is almost exclusively found in the idiom 白首偕老. It carries a romantic and poetic weight that is rarely used in casual, everyday speech to describe someone who is simply elderly. Using it outside of this specific idiom can sound overly dramatic or archaic.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋loeng5兩gung1公po2婆baak6白sau2首gaai1偕lou5老，zan1真hai6係hou2好naan4難dak1得。

That couple grew old together, it is truly rare.

nei5你hai6係mai6咪soeng2想tung4同keoi5佢baak6白sau2首dou3到lou5老aa4呀？

Do you want to grow old together with them?

Common phrases

baak6白sau2首gaai1偕lou5老

to grow old together

baak6白sau2首dou3到lou5老

to stay together until old age

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal description of hair color, but it specifically refers to the passage of time and aging in a relationship context. It is not used to describe a person who just happens to have grey hair.