cau1 hung1抽空
Jyutpingcau1 hung1
Yalechāu hūng
Definition
To find or make time, or to extract air to create a vacuum.
- to find or make time; to squeeze in time from a busy schedule
- to draw air out; to evacuate air
neutraltimework
How it's used
Use this verb specifically when someone manages to carve out a small window of time from a busy schedule. It implies a sense of effort or prioritization, making it a polite way to acknowledge that the other person has a packed agenda. It is frequently used in formal or semi-formal requests to show respect for the listener's time.
Examples
He is very busy, but he still found time to help me out.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of extracting air or liquid, which uses the same characters but functions as a physical action verb. In a social context, it exclusively refers to time management.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
