can3 gei1趁機趁机
Jyutpingcan3 gei1
Yalechan gēi
Definition
To take advantage of an opportunity; to seize a chance.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the act of seizing a specific moment to achieve a goal, often implying a slightly opportunistic or sneaky intent. It frequently appears in contexts where someone is waiting for a supervisor or parent to leave before acting. Unlike formal terms for seizing an opportunity, this carries a distinctly active and sometimes mischievous nuance.
Examples
He took the opportunity to ask the boss for a raise.
Are you trying to take the opportunity to slack off?
Related words
Common phrases
take the opportunity to slack off
take the opportunity to sneak away
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a noun meaning 'opportunity' itself, but it functions as an adverbial phrase that must be followed by a verb describing the action taken.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
