pek3 tau4劈頭劈头
Jyutpingpek3 tau4
Yalepek tàuh
Definition
Right from the start, or at the very beginning.
colloquialdaily actionscommunication
How it's used
Used to describe an action or remark that happens immediately upon someone's arrival or at the very start of a conversation. It carries a sense of abruptness or bluntness, often implying that the person did not bother with pleasantries or small talk. It is frequently paired with verbs of speaking or acting to highlight the suddenness of the interaction.
Examples
He asked me when I was getting married right off the bat.
Related words
Common phrases
the very first sentence
to ask right away
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal act of chopping someone's head, which is not how this word is used in modern speech. It is strictly an adverbial phrase describing the timing and manner of an opening remark or action.
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).
