taam3 gaa1探家
Jyutpingtaam3 gaa1
Yaletaam gā
Definition
To go home or back to one's hometown to visit family.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the act of returning to one's roots or ancestral home to see family members. It carries a sense of nostalgia or duty, often implying a journey to a place outside the city center where one's parents or extended relatives reside. It is distinct from simply visiting a friend's house.
Examples
He is going back to his hometown to visit his family next week.
How long has it been since you went back to visit your family?
Related words
Common phrases
return to hometown to visit family
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 探病, which specifically refers to visiting someone in the hospital. Using 探家 for a casual visit to a friend's home sounds unnatural and overly formal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
