mak6 lou6陌路
Jyutpingmak6 lou6
Yalemahk louh
Definition
An unfamiliar or unknown road; strangers or people who have grown apart.
- unfamiliar or unknown road
- figurativestrangers; people who have become like strangers to each other
writtenplacespeople
How it's used
This term carries a slightly literary or dramatic tone compared to everyday speech. It is most frequently encountered in the set phrase 形同陌路, which describes two people who were once close but now treat each other like complete strangers. Using it to describe a literal physical road is possible but less common than using it to describe a metaphorical distance between people.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
We walked onto an unfamiliar road.
Related words
Common phrases
to treat each other like strangers
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 陌生, which refers to people or things that are unfamiliar. While 陌路 can mean an unfamiliar path, it is rarely used in casual conversation to describe a street you simply do not know; for that, locals would typically say 唔識行 or 條路好陌生.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
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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.
