paa4掱
Jyutpingpaa4
Yalepàh
Definition
To steal; to pickpocket.
slangslangdaily actions
How it's used
This character is a graphic pun composed of three hands, visually representing the act of picking pockets or pilfering. It is almost exclusively used in informal or slang contexts to describe petty theft rather than grand larceny. It carries a derogatory tone, emphasizing the sneaky or habitual nature of the thief.
Examples
He is always stealing people's things, he really has no class.
Did you steal someone's wallet?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common verb, but it is highly colloquial and specific to the act of pilfering or pickpocketing. It should not be used for formal legal contexts or serious crimes like robbery, where 搶劫 is the appropriate term.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
