bo1波
Jyutpingbo1
Yalebō
Definition
A formal dance or ball; a social gathering for dancing.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Refers specifically to social dancing or ballroom dancing, often implying a formal or semi-formal setting. It is distinct from the more common meaning of ball or sphere, so context is essential to avoid confusion. It is frequently associated with older generations or specific social clubs in Hong Kong.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Are you interested in going dancing tonight?
He really likes going to that ballroom to dance.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the English loanword for ball, which is also written as 波. Using it to mean a dance party in a casual setting might sound slightly dated or formal depending on the speaker.
Grammar color guide
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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.
