faai3 maa5快馬快马
Jyutpingfaai3 maa5
Yalefaai máh
Definition
A fast horse, used figuratively as an instruction to hurry.
colloquialdaily actionstransport
How it's used
Carries a sense of urgency and swift action, often implying someone is rushing to a destination or trying to meet a tight deadline. While it literally references a horse, it functions as an adverbial phrase in modern speech to describe moving quickly. It is more dramatic and emphatic than simply using 快.
Examples
You better hurry to the airport, otherwise you won't make it.
After receiving the news, he immediately hurried back home.
Related words
Common phrases
to whip the horse to go faster; to move at top speed
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with literal horse riding, as it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe human movement in a rush. It is not a standard verb for general speed, so avoid using it to describe things like fast cars or quick thinking.
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.
