hiu1繑
Jyutpinghiu1
Yalehīu
Definition
To tangle or knot together; to twine or coil.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Primarily describes the messy, accidental intertwining of long, thin objects like wires, hair, or thread. It carries a sense of frustration, as the resulting knot is usually difficult to undo. While it can imply deliberate coiling, it is most frequently heard when complaining about things getting tangled in a pocket or bag.
Examples
The charging cable is all tangled up, it is hard to untangle.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 蹺, which is pronounced similarly but refers to crossing limbs, such as 蹺腳 for crossing one's legs.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
