kam4 soeng5 kam4 lok6擒上擒落
Jyutpingkam4 soeng5 kam4 lok6
Yalekàhm séuhng kàhm lohk
Definition
To climb up and down repeatedly; to be busy or exhausted from constantly going up and down.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
This expression vividly captures the image of someone moving vertically with frantic energy, often implying a sense of disorder or unnecessary exertion. It is frequently used to describe children playing or adults frantically trying to complete chores across different floors. The reduplicative structure emphasizes the repetitive and exhausting nature of the movement.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
so busy that one is rushing everywhere
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply going up and down stairs, which is more neutrally described as 上上落落. 擒上擒落 carries a stronger connotation of climbing, scrambling, or being physically restless.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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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).
