dou2 maa5賭馬赌马
Jyutpingdou2 maa5
Yaledóu máh
Definition
To gamble or bet on horse racing.
colloquialmoneydaily actions
How it's used
Horse racing is a deeply ingrained part of Hong Kong culture, and betting is exclusively managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. While the term is straightforward, it is often used in casual conversation to refer to the entire social activity of going to the racecourse or visiting an off-course betting branch. People rarely use formal terms for gambling when discussing this, preferring the direct verb.
Examples
Are you going to bet on horses tomorrow?
Common phrases
to have a small bet on the horses
to go to the racecourse to bet
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with just watching the races, which is often referred to as 睇馬. Using 賭馬 implies you are actively placing bets, whereas 睇馬 can simply mean enjoying the sport as a spectator.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
