koi3蓋盖
Definition
To cover; to place something over another object so that most of it is obscured.
How it's used
While 蓋 is standard, Cantonese speakers frequently use 冚 or 扱 in daily life to describe the act of covering something. 冚 is particularly common for covering things with a blanket or a lid, whereas 扱 is often reserved for closing a container or putting a lid back on. Using 蓋 is perfectly acceptable in all contexts, but it can sound slightly more formal or descriptive compared to the more punchy, colloquial alternatives.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 蓋 with 冚. While they are interchangeable in many contexts, 冚 carries a more physical, forceful nuance of covering something completely, whereas 蓋 is more neutral and can also be used in abstract contexts like covering a topic or a building.
Grammar color guide
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.
