caai2 dei6 pun4踩地盤踩地盘
Jyutpingcaai2 dei6 pun4
Yalecháai deih pùhn
Definition
To trespass on someone's turf or sphere of influence and threaten their interests.
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
Originally referring to construction sites, this term has evolved into a metaphorical expression for encroaching on someone's professional domain or social circle. It carries a strong sense of confrontation and territorial defense. It is frequently used in office politics or competitive business environments to describe someone overstepping their boundaries.
Examples
Don't step into his territory, he's in charge here.
Related words
Common phrases
to step into someone else's territory
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal act of walking onto a construction site, which is also called 踩地盤. Context is essential to determine if the speaker is talking about a physical location or a metaphorical professional conflict.
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.
