ding2 baan1頂班顶班
Jyutpingding2 baan1
Yaledíng bāan
Definition
To temporarily substitute for someone at work.
colloquialwork
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the act of filling in for someone during their scheduled work hours. It implies a temporary arrangement rather than a permanent replacement. People often use this when discussing shift work or retail environments where schedules are strictly managed.
Examples
Ah Ming is sick, do you need to cover his shift?
I have to cover a colleague's shift tomorrow, so I cannot go back for dinner.
Common phrases
to cover someone's shift
to find someone to cover a shift
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with replacing someone permanently, which would use words like 接手 or 取代. Using this for a permanent role change sounds like you are only doing it for a short time.
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.
