baau3 gaak3爆格
Jyutpingbaau3 gaak3
Yalebaau gaak
Definition
To commit burglary; to break into a home or office and steal belongings.
colloquialother
How it's used
This term is a direct phonetic loan from the English word burgle, adapted into Cantonese with the character 爆 to imply the forceful breaking of locks or doors. It is the standard, everyday way to describe residential or commercial burglary in Hong Kong. While it sounds informal, it is widely used in news reports and police statements to describe such crimes.
Examples
His home was burgled last night, and the losses were quite severe.
Remember to lock the doors and windows when you go out, so you don't get burgled.
Related words
Common phrases
to be burgled
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 爆粗, which means to swear or use profanity. While both share the character 爆, they are completely unrelated in meaning and context.
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.
