maa5 gaau1馬交马交
Jyutpingmaa5 gaau1
Yalemáh gāau
Definition
Macau; an informal phonetic transliteration of the Portuguese and English name.
colloquialplacestravel
How it's used
Originating from the Portuguese pronunciation of Macau, this term is a common, casual way to refer to the city among locals. It carries a slightly more relaxed or informal tone compared to the standard 澳門. It is frequently used when discussing short trips, gambling, or food excursions across the border.
Examples
We are going to Macau for two days this weekend.
Is this your first time going to Macau?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this term in formal settings, business correspondence, or official documents where 澳門 is the only appropriate choice. It is strictly a colloquialism for spoken interaction.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
