daap6 bou6踏步
Jyutpingdaap6 bou6
Yaledaahp bouh
Definition
To mark time; to march in place without moving forward.
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
Used primarily in physical exercise or military contexts to describe marching without moving forward. It carries a strong metaphorical sense of stagnation, implying that someone is putting in effort but failing to make any actual progress in their life or career.
Examples
Why are you marking time there?
He marks time for ten minutes every morning.
Related words
Common phrases
to mark time / to stagnate
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 跑步, which specifically means running and involves moving across a distance. Using 踏步 to describe running will sound like you are stuck in one spot.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
