hau6逅

Jyutpinghau6

Yalehauh

Definition

To meet unexpectedly; to run into someone.

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How it's used

This word is almost exclusively used in the compound 偶逅, which carries a slightly literary or formal tone compared to everyday verbs like 見到 or 撞到. While it implies an accidental meeting, it is rarely used in casual, rapid-fire speech, where speakers prefer 撞見 or 撞到 to describe bumping into someone by chance.

Examples

ngo5我喺hai2街gaai1度dou6偶ngau5逅hau6咗zo2個go3舊gau6同tung4學。

I ran into an old classmate on the street.

nei5你hai6係mai6咪喺hai2圖tou4書syu1館gun2偶ngau5逅hau6過gwo3佢keoi5呀？

Did you run into him at the library?

Common phrases

ngau5偶hau6逅

to meet by chance

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common verb, but it is rarely used as a standalone character in modern spoken Cantonese. Using it alone in a sentence will sound unnatural or overly poetic to native speakers.