gou1 fei1高飛高飞
Jyutpinggou1 fei1
Yalegōu fēi
Definition
To fly high; to soar.
neutralanimalsdescriptions
How it's used
High-flying imagery is often used metaphorically in Cantonese to describe someone achieving great success or leaving a restrictive environment. While it can describe literal flight, it frequently carries a sense of ambition or liberation. It is more literary than everyday conversational verbs like 飛.
Examples
The bird has soared off to a faraway place.
He dreams of being able to soar in the sky.
Related words
Common phrases
to fly far away and disappear
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the common slang 高飛遠走, which specifically refers to someone running away or disappearing to avoid trouble or responsibility.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
