dau1唗
Jyutpingdau1
Yaledāu
Definition
An exclamation used for greeting someone or expressing a sigh.
colloquialcommunicationemotion
How it's used
This is a versatile sound that functions as both a casual greeting and an expression of weariness or resignation. When used as a greeting, it carries a very informal, friendly tone similar to 'hey' or 'hi'. When used as a sigh, it conveys a sense of 'oh well' or 'here we go again' depending on the speaker's intonation.
Examples
Hey, how are you today?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with standard greetings like 哈囉, as 唗 is extremely casual and can sound dismissive or overly lazy if used in professional or formal settings.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
