lau4 faan1留番
Jyutpinglau4 faan1
Yalelàuh fāan
Definition
To keep, save, or reserve something for later use.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Often used to suggest saving something for a future purpose or a specific person. It carries a sense of consideration, implying that the item is being set aside rather than discarded or consumed immediately. The particle 番 adds a nuance of returning something to a state of being kept or reserved.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
save for someone else
keep and use slowly over time
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 留低, which usually means to leave something behind or to stay in a location. 留番 specifically focuses on the act of reserving or keeping something for future use.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
