bo1 haai4波鞋
Jyutpingbo1 haai4
Yalebō hàaih
Definition
Sneakers, trainers, or sports shoes.
colloquialclothingdaily actions
How it's used
Originally referring specifically to shoes worn for playing football, the term has evolved to cover almost any type of athletic or casual sneaker. It is the standard, everyday way to refer to trainers in Hong Kong, far more common than the formal term 運動鞋. Using this word creates an immediate sense of casual, local familiarity.
Measure word
deoi3對deuiExamples
Where did you buy your sneakers?
It is more comfortable to wear sneakers for hiking today.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 波衫, which refers to a sports jersey or uniform. While both involve the prefix 波, they refer to distinct items of clothing.
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.
