sin1 sau2先手

Jyutpingsin1 sau2

Yalesīn sáu

形容詞Uncommon

Definition

The side that takes the first move or initiative in an activity.

colloquialother

How it's used

Originating from board games like Go or Chess, this term describes the strategic advantage of making the first move. It is frequently used in competitive contexts like sports or business negotiations to indicate who is setting the pace of the interaction. Unlike more formal terms for initiative, this carries a strong sense of tactical positioning.

Examples

ngo5我dei6哋gam1今coeng4場bo1波lo2攞dou3到sin1先sau2手，jeng4贏min2面daai6大hou2好do1多。

We took the initiative in this match, so our chances of winning are much higher.

nei5你gok3覺dak1得bin1邊go3個lo1攞sin1先sau2手wui2會hou2好di1啲aa1呀？

Who do you think it would be better to have the initiative?

Common phrases

lo2攞sin1先sau2手

to take the initiative

coeng2搶sin1先sau2手

to seize the initiative

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 先手 which can sometimes imply a preemptive strike or a more aggressive connotation. In Cantonese, it is primarily about the advantage of the first turn rather than the act of attacking first.