co1 lai4 pou3 dou3初嚟甫到
Jyutpingco1 lai4 pou3 dou3
Yalechō làih pou dou
Definition
Newly arrived; to have just arrived at a new place.
colloquialpeopleplaces
How it's used
This idiom is used to describe someone who has just arrived in a new environment, such as a new city, workplace, or social circle. It carries a sense of being an outsider or a novice who needs time to adjust. It is often used to excuse oneself for not knowing local customs or directions.
Examples
I just arrived here, so I am not very familiar with the roads.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb phrase, but it functions more like an adverbial phrase describing the state of the person. It is not used to describe the act of moving itself, but rather the state of being new to a location.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
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).
