bo1 gwan3波棍
Jyutpingbo1 gwan3
Yalebō gwan
Definition
Gear lever or gear shift in a vehicle.
colloquialtransport
How it's used
Refers specifically to the physical stick used for manual transmissions, though it is sometimes used colloquially for automatic gear selectors as well. It is a very common term in driving lessons and daily talk about cars. Using this term instead of the more formal 變速桿 makes you sound like a local driver.
Measure word
zi1支jīExamples
Remember to hold the gear lever firmly when you shift gears.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the slang term 波, which can mean soccer or breasts depending on the context, as it has no relation to the mechanical gear stick.
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.
