kau3 caa4扣查
Jyutpingkau3 caa4
Yalekau chàh
Definition
To detain suspects or seize suspicious objects for investigation.
neutralworkother
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the official act of seizing items or holding people for formal inquiry. It carries a strong sense of legal or administrative authority, often used in news reports or when discussing police procedures. Unlike general detention, it implies that a systematic check or investigation is currently underway.
Examples
Customs detained that batch of goods for investigation.
Why do you need to detain my phone for investigation?
Related words
Common phrases
detain a vehicle for investigation
detain goods for investigation
Common mistake
Avoid using this for simply holding onto someone's personal belongings in a casual sense, such as keeping a friend's umbrella. It is strictly reserved for official or authoritative contexts involving suspicion or legal protocol.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
