keoi1 lau4拘留
Jyutpingkeoi1 lau4
Yalekēui làuh
Definition
To detain, arrest, or hold a suspect in custody at a police station.
neutralother
How it's used
This term is formal and primarily used in legal or news contexts rather than casual conversation. It specifically refers to the act of holding someone in a police station or official facility for investigation. When talking about being locked up in a more general or colloquial sense, people often use 坐監 or 鎖住 instead.
Examples
How long have the police detained the suspect?
He is currently being detained by the police for breaking the law.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 扣留, which is often used for detaining objects or goods at customs, whereas 拘留 is strictly for people.
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.
