paau1拋抛
Jyutpingpaau1
Yalepāau
Definition
To throw or fling, to abandon, or to dump goods in large quantities.
- to throw; to fling; to cast
- to abandon; to cast aside
- to dump or sell goods in large quantities
- to provoke an argument or a fight
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Beyond the literal action of tossing objects, this verb is frequently used in the context of dumping or abandoning someone, often in a romantic or social sense. It carries a sense of suddenness or coldness, implying that the person being left behind was not prepared for the separation. When used in financial contexts, it refers to dumping stocks or goods onto the market to drive prices down.
Examples
Don't go throwing trash out on the street.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 掉, which is the more common, everyday word for throwing something away or discarding trash. Using 拋 for everyday trash can sound slightly dramatic or literary, as if you are tossing it with a deliberate, sweeping motion.
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.
