co1 gaau1初交
Jyutpingco1 gaau1
Yalechō gāau
Definition
New acquaintance; a newly made friend.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to the early stage of a relationship where people have only recently met and are not yet close. It carries a slightly formal or descriptive tone, often used when explaining why someone might be acting polite or reserved. It is less common in casual speech than simply saying 啱啱識.
Examples
We are new acquaintances, I am sorry to trouble you like this.
Related words
Common phrases
newly acquainted friend
Common mistake
Avoid using this as a verb; it is a noun phrase describing the status of a relationship. Learners often mistakenly try to use it like a verb meaning to make a new friend.
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.
