paau2 maa5跑馬跑马
Jyutpingpaau2 maa5
Yalepáau máh
Definition
To hold a horse race; to participate in horse racing.
colloquialother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the activity of horse racing as a social or betting event rather than the technical sport itself. While 賽馬 sounds formal and is used in news reports or official contexts, 跑馬 is the standard term for everyday conversation among friends or punters. It carries a casual tone that implies the entire experience of attending the track or following the races.
Examples
There is horse racing tonight, which horse did you bet on?
He really likes going to Shatin for the horse races.
Related words
Common phrases
Happy Valley (the district and racecourse)
to go to the races
Common mistake
Avoid using 跑馬 when referring to the professional sport in a formal or academic context, as it sounds too informal. Also, do not confuse it with literal horse riding, which is 騎馬.
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.
