ceot1 hau2出口
Jyutpingceot1 hau2
Yalechēut háu
Definition
To speak; to express or utter with one's mouth.
colloquialcommunicationdaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the act of vocalizing or the initial moment of speech rather than the content of the message. It often carries a nuance of consequence, implying that once words are uttered, they cannot be taken back. It is frequently used in contexts where someone is being cautioned to think before they speak.
Examples
He offends people as soon as he opens his mouth.
Have you thought it through before speaking?
Related words
Common phrases
to hurt others with one's words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the noun meaning of exit, which is also written as 出口. In the verbal sense, it is usually used as a verb-object structure where the mouth is the instrument of the action.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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Particle
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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.
