tai2 ding6睇定
Jyutpingtai2 ding6
Yaletái dihng
Definition
To observe how a situation develops before making a decision.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Implies a deliberate pause to gather information or wait for external conditions to stabilize. It is frequently used in financial contexts or when facing a major life choice where acting too quickly could lead to regret. The addition of 啲 serves to soften the tone, making the suggestion to wait feel more like a prudent recommendation rather than a command.
Examples
The market situation is unclear right now, let's wait and see for a bit.
Do you need to observe things for a while before deciding which phone to buy?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for simply watching something, but it specifically carries the nuance of delaying action until more information is available. Do not use it if you are just observing an event for entertainment purposes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
