dok6 bou6踱步
Jyutpingdok6 bou6
Yaledohk bouh
Definition
To pace; to walk slowly and back and forth.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Describes a specific type of walking that is slow, rhythmic, and usually confined to a small area. It is almost exclusively used to convey a sense of deep thought, anxiety, or impatience. You will rarely hear it used for casual walking or strolling.
Examples
He is pacing inside the room, looking very anxious.
Why are you pacing here? Is something bothering you?
Related words
Common phrases
pacing back and forth
Common mistake
Do not use this for general walking or exercise. It implies a repetitive back and forth motion, so using it for a simple walk to the store would sound unnatural and overly dramatic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
