ceot1 tau4出頭出头
Jyutpingceot1 tau4
Yalechēut tàuh
Definition
Used after an integer to indicate a little more than that number.
colloquialnumberstime
How it's used
This expression specifically follows round numbers like 二十, 三十, or 四十 to indicate a small, vague excess. It implies the person or object is slightly older or larger than the base number but still within the early part of that decade. It is almost exclusively used when discussing age or occasionally quantities that can be measured in units of ten.
Examples
He is just over thirty this year and is very sharp at work.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this for numbers that are not multiples of ten, such as 二十一出頭 or 三十五出頭, as it sounds unnatural and redundant. It is also restricted to describing age or quantities rather than precise measurements like weight or distance.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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).
