paa4 lung4 zau1扒龍舟扒龙舟
Jyutpingpaa4 lung4 zau1
Yalepàh lùhng jāu
Definition
Dragon boating; paddling a dragon boat, either as a competitive sport or a Duanwu Festival tradition.
colloquialfestivalsports
How it's used
Refers specifically to the act of paddling a dragon boat, often implying the competitive sport rather than just the traditional festival activity. While it originates from the Dragon Boat Festival, it is now a popular team sport practiced throughout the year by various clubs in Hong Kong. It carries a strong sense of community and physical endurance, as the rhythm of the paddling is crucial for the boat's speed.
Examples
Let's go dragon boating together next Saturday.
Did you go watch people dragon boating this year?
Related words
Common phrases
dragon boat race
dragon boat water (referring to the water during the festival period)
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe general boating or rowing, as it is strictly tied to the specific cultural vessel known as the 龍舟. Do not confuse it with 划艇, which refers to standard rowing or kayaking.
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.
