cau3 haau2湊巧凑巧
Jyutpingcau3 haau2
Yalechau háau
Definition
By chance; coincidentally; happening purely by accident without any prior planning.
colloquialdaily actionstime
How it's used
湊巧 highlights the element of surprise or serendipity in an event that was not planned. It is often interchangeable with 咁啱, but 湊巧 carries a slightly more formal or literary tone compared to the purely colloquial 咁啱. It is frequently used to describe meetings or events that seem almost fated due to their timing.
Examples
We happened to bump into each other on the street.
Do you happen to have any extra money to lend me?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 湊巧 with 剛好, which focuses more on exact timing or suitability rather than the element of chance or coincidence. While 剛好 can mean just in time, 湊巧 specifically emphasizes that the occurrence was unexpected.
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.
