cin4 dou6前度
Jyutpingcin4 dou6
Yalechìhn douh
Definition
An ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Refers specifically to a romantic partner from the past, carrying a slightly more modern and casual tone than the more formal 前任. It is frequently used in gossip or when discussing relationship history among friends. The term focuses purely on the status of the relationship rather than the gender of the person involved.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Are you still in contact with your ex?
He is always missing his ex, it is so annoying.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 前度 in the sense of 'previous time' or 'previous degree' used in formal written Chinese, as in Cantonese speech it almost exclusively refers to a person.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
