gwaa3掛挂
Jyutpinggwaa3
Yalegwa
Definition
To hang, hang up, or suspend an object using a rope, hook, nail, or other support.
colloquialdaily actionshome
How it's used
Beyond the literal meaning of suspending objects, this verb is frequently used in the context of telephone calls. When someone ends a call abruptly or hangs up on you, it is common to describe the action as 掛線. It carries a slightly more active or intentional nuance than simply ending a conversation.
Examples
nei5 bong1 ngo5 zoeng1 gin2 saam1 gwaa3 hai2 ji1 gwai6 dou6 hou2 m4 hou2
你幫我將件衫掛喺衣櫃度好唔好？
Could you help me hang my clothes in the wardrobe?
fuk1 waa2 gwaa3 zo2 hai2 coeng4 soeng6 min6 hou2 noi6 laa3
幅畫掛咗喺牆上面好耐喇。
The painting has been hanging on the wall for a long time.
Related words
Common phrases
gwaa3 sin3
掛線
to hang up the phone
gwaa3 zyu6
掛住
to be hanging
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the homophone 掛 meaning to miss someone. While the pronunciation is identical, the context of physical suspension versus emotional longing is distinct and usually clear from the object being used.
Tone guide
T1High level
T2High rising
T3Mid level
T4Low falling
T5Low rising
T6Low level
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.
