dai6逮
Jyutpingdai6
Yaledaih
Definition
To catch, seize, or arrest.
writtenpeople
How it's used
逮 is primarily a formal or written term in Cantonese, often appearing in news reports or legal contexts regarding arrests. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people almost exclusively use 捉 or 捉住 to express the act of catching someone or something. Using 逮 in casual conversation can sound overly dramatic or like a line from a period drama.
Examples
The police finally caught the thief.
Related words
Common phrases
to arrest
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common verb, but it is rarely used in daily speech outside of specific formal compounds like 逮捕. Stick to 捉 for general situations to avoid sounding unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
