hoi1 toi2開檯开台
Jyutpinghoi1 toi2
Yalehōi tói
Definition
To set up a table for a meal or for playing mahjong.
- to set up a table for playing mahjong
- to set a dining table
colloquialdaily actionshome
How it's used
Primarily associated with the ritual of setting up a mahjong table, this term carries a strong social connotation of gathering friends for a game. When used in a restaurant context, it refers to the physical act of preparing a table for service, such as laying out cutlery and napkins before customers arrive.
Examples
We're setting up a mahjong game at home tonight, come over and join us.
The restaurant hasn't set the tables yet, you guys sit for a while first.
Related words
Common phrases
to set up a mahjong game
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply sitting down to eat, which is usually expressed as 開飯. While it can mean setting a dining table, using it to mean 'starting a meal' sounds unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
