laap3妠
Jyutpinglaap3
Yalelaap
Definition
To collect, seize, or grab; or to describe a chubby child.
- to collect, seize, or grab
- slangchubby
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Primarily used in spoken Cantonese to describe the act of grabbing or snatching something, often with a sense of possessiveness or greed. When applied to children, it describes a chubby, soft, and pinchable appearance, similar to the feeling of wanting to grab onto their round limbs.
Examples
The kid is chubby and very grabby.
Why are you grabbing others' toys and not letting go?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the formal written character 拿, which is the standard word for take or hold in Mandarin. In Cantonese, 妠 is specifically used for the physical action of grabbing or the descriptive quality of being chubby, whereas 攞 is the neutral, everyday word for take.
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.
