gai3 si4計時计时
Jyutpinggai3 si4
Yalegai sìh
Definition
To record or measure the time it takes to complete an action.
colloquialtimedaily actions
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the act of monitoring duration rather than just checking the current time. It is commonly used in competitive or task oriented contexts where precision matters. When someone asks you to perform this action, they are essentially asking you to act as a stopwatch.
Examples
The race has started, are you guys ready to record the time?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 睇時間, which simply means checking what time it is on a clock or watch. Using 計時 to mean checking the time is incorrect because it implies an active process of tracking a duration.
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.
