gau2 gau2 gei1九九機九九机
Jyutpinggau2 gau2 gei1
Yalegáu gáu gēi
Definition
A device formerly used by journalists to eavesdrop on police radio communications.
colloquialtechnologycommunication
How it's used
The term refers specifically to the historical practice of journalists monitoring police radio frequencies to arrive at crime scenes ahead of others. It is deeply tied to the era before digital encryption became standard for emergency services in Hong Kong. Using this word today carries a strong sense of nostalgia for a bygone era of local journalism.
Measure word
bou6部bouhExamples
Reporters used to carry a police scanner all the time to get news tips.
Now that the police have switched to an encrypted system, is the scanner still usable?
Related words
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
