ngau1 siu1勾銷勾销
Jyutpingngau1 siu1
Yalengāu sīu
Definition
To cancel, write off, or wipe clean.
colloquialother
How it's used
Often used in the phrase 一筆勾銷, which implies a complete and final resolution to a conflict or debt. It carries a sense of finality, suggesting that once something is cancelled, it should never be brought up again. It is frequently applied to abstract concepts like grudges, misunderstandings, or past mistakes rather than just financial transactions.
Examples
Let's wipe the slate clean regarding our past grudges.
Are you still remembering that? Why not just let it go?
Related words
Common phrases
wipe the slate clean
Common mistake
Learners often mistake it for a general word for cancel like 取消, but it is much more specific to settling scores or clearing records. Using it for simple tasks like cancelling a meeting or a reservation sounds unnatural and overly dramatic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
