kau4求
Jyutpingkau4
Yalekàuh
Definition
To beg, plead, or request someone's help or agreement.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Using this word implies a high level of desperation or a significant imbalance of power in the situation. It is rarely used in professional or casual requests, where words like 麻煩或者請 are much more appropriate. When someone uses this, they are often putting their pride aside to get a specific outcome.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for simple favors like asking someone to pass the salt or open a door, as it sounds overly dramatic or pathetic in those contexts.
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.
