gaau3 zou2 si4較早時较早时

Jyutpinggaau3 zou2 si4

Yalegaau jóu sìh

Definition

Earlier on; a short while ago.

neutraltime

How it's used

Functions as a temporal adverb to denote a point in time preceding the present moment. It is frequently used in news reports or formal announcements to provide context about when an event occurred. While it sounds slightly more formal than just saying 頭先, it remains a standard way to frame past actions in a narrative.

Examples

gaau3較zou2早si4時keoi5佢daa2打gwo3過din6電waa6話lai4嚟。

He called earlier on.

nei5你gaau3較zou2早si4時heoi3去zo2咗bin1邊aa4呀？

Where did you go earlier on?

Common phrases

gaau3較zou2早si4時fan1分

at an earlier time

Common mistake

Avoid using this to refer to the distant past, as it specifically implies a time within the same day or a very recent period. For events that happened days or weeks ago, use 之前 instead.