kai1 lau4稽留
Jyutpingkai1 lau4
Yalekāi làuh
Definition
To delay, detain, or stay behind.
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How it's used
This term is primarily used in formal or legal contexts, such as describing someone being held by authorities or the delay of goods. It carries a sense of official or forced restriction rather than a casual delay. In everyday conversation, people are much more likely to use 留住 or 扣留 instead.
Examples
Why do you have to detain me here?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 停留, which means to stay or linger somewhere voluntarily. 稽留 implies an external force or authority is preventing someone from leaving.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
