hau1 gei1 wui6吼機會吼机会
Jyutpinghau1 gei1 wui6
Yalehāu gēi wuih
Definition
To bide one's time and wait for an opportunity.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Implies a sense of predatory patience or lurking, as if one is watching closely for the exact moment to strike. It is often used in competitive contexts like office politics, sports, or dating where timing is critical to success. Unlike simply waiting, this suggests active observation and readiness to act immediately.
Examples
He is waiting for an opportunity to get promoted.
Are you still waiting for the right moment to make a move?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the standard word for waiting, 等, which is neutral. Using 吼 implies a degree of calculation or opportunism that might sound aggressive depending on the context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
