kau3 lau4扣留
Jyutpingkau3 lau4
Yalekau làuh
Definition
To detain or hold in custody, especially by the police.
neutralworkother
How it's used
This term carries a formal and serious tone, typically reserved for legal or official contexts involving law enforcement or border control. It implies a loss of freedom or the freezing of assets under administrative or judicial authority. While it can be used in casual conversation to describe an event, it is not a word used to describe minor delays or simple waiting.
Examples
He was detained by customs for suspected smuggling.
Do you know why that person was detained?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse this with 留低, which simply means to leave something behind or to stay somewhere. 扣留 specifically requires an element of force or official authority, whereas 留低 is neutral and can be used in everyday situations like leaving a bag at a friend's house.
Grammar color guide
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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).
