maan1 ce1 bin1摱車邊摱车边
Jyutpingmaan1 ce1 bin1
Yalemāan chē bīn
Definition
To tag along, cling to someone's success, or get a free ride.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Originating from the act of grabbing onto the side of a moving vehicle to hitch a ride, this idiom now describes someone who opportunistically benefits from another person's resources or connections. It carries a slightly negative connotation, implying that the person is being a bit of a freeloader or imposing on others. It is commonly used when someone invites themselves along to an event or uses a friend's status to gain entry somewhere.
Examples
He always tags along on trips for free, he really has no shame.
Are you trying to tag along to the party?
Related words
Common phrases
always tagging along
wanting to tag along
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply asking for a ride in a car, which would be 搭順風車. Using 摱車邊 implies a sense of social imposition or taking advantage of a situation rather than a literal request for transportation.
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.
