gwaan1 dau3關斗关斗
Jyutpinggwaan1 dau3
Yalegwāan dau
Definition
Somersault; a roll where the body rotates forward or backward and the head is briefly at the lowest point.
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used with the verb 打 to form the phrase 打關斗. While it describes the physical action of a somersault, it is frequently used metaphorically in Cantonese to describe a sudden, dramatic change in fortune or a complete reversal of a situation, similar to how one might say someone has "turned their life around" or "flipped their luck."
Examples
He loved doing somersaults on the grass when he was little.
Do you know how to do a somersault?
Common phrases
to do a somersault
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 翻跟斗. While they share the same meaning, the Cantonese pronunciation and character choice are distinct, and using the Mandarin term will sound unnatural in a local context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
