gou3 baak6告白
Jyutpinggou3 baak6
Yalegou baahk
Definition
To confess one's love to someone.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Borrowing heavily from Japanese pop culture, this term has become the standard way to describe a romantic confession in modern Hong Kong. It carries a slightly more formal or dramatic weight than simply saying 表白. It is almost exclusively used for romantic declarations rather than general admissions of truth or guilt.
Examples
When will you finally be willing to confess to her?
He plucked up the courage to confess today.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the legal or formal sense of confessing to a crime, which is typically expressed as 認罪 in Cantonese.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
