lam3 baan1臨班临班
Jyutpinglam3 baan1
Yalelam bāan
Definition
To repeat a year of study at school.
colloquialschool
How it's used
This term is specific to the Hong Kong education system and carries a slightly informal, cautionary tone. It is often used by students to describe the fear or reality of failing to promote to the next grade level. While it refers to repeating a year, it is distinct from the more formal term 留班, which is used in official school documentation.
Examples
His grades aren't good this year, he might have to repeat a year.
Related words
Common phrases
facing the prospect of repeating a year
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 留班. While 留班 is the standard, neutral term used in report cards and school policies, 臨班 is more colloquial and carries a stronger sense of the immediate, personal consequence of failing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
