tai2 seoi2睇水
Jyutpingtai2 seoi2
Yaletái séui
Definition
To keep watch or act as a lookout to prevent a secret activity from being disrupted.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Originally derived from the gambling world where someone would monitor the surroundings for police raids, this term is now used for any situation requiring a lookout. It implies a sense of secrecy or illicit activity, even if the context is just a harmless prank or a minor rule-breaking event. It is rarely used in professional or formal security contexts.
Examples
You keep watch for me while I go in to get my stuff back.
Who was supposed to be keeping watch earlier? How come you didn't know someone was coming?
Related words
Common phrases
to be in charge of keeping watch
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a lifeguard or a security guard, as those roles are legitimate and public. Using 睇水 implies the activity being watched is something that should not be seen by others.
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.
