tai4 zou2提早
Jyutpingtai4 zou2
Yaletàih jóu
Definition
To do something ahead of schedule or earlier than planned.
colloquialtimework
How it's used
Focuses on the act of shifting a planned event to an earlier point in time, rather than just being early for an appointment. It is frequently used in work or school contexts when schedules are adjusted. Unlike the more general term 早, which describes a state of being early, this verb emphasizes the deliberate decision to move a deadline or start time forward.
Examples
We need to leave half an hour earlier tomorrow.
Why did you leave early?
Related words
Common phrases
to get off work early
to finish ahead of schedule
Common mistake
Avoid confusing this with 早啲, which is a more casual way to suggest doing something earlier. While 提早 is a formal verb for adjusting a schedule, 早啲 is a flexible adverbial phrase used in everyday requests like 聽日早啲嚟.
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.
