tau1 bou6偷步
Jyutpingtau1 bou6
Yaletāu bouh
Definition
To jump the gun; to start a race early, or to do something before the allowed time.
- to jump the gun; to start running before the start of a race
- to do something before the permitted or scheduled time
colloquialdaily actionswork
How it's used
Originally a sports term for starting a race before the signal, this has evolved into a common metaphor for any premature action. It carries a sense of impatience or breaking rules by acting ahead of schedule. It is frequently used in professional or social contexts where there is a clear expectation of when a task should begin.
Examples
The race hasn't started yet, why are you jumping the gun?
They jumped the gun and bought the property, only to find out the price dropped later.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to mean stealing something; it is strictly about timing. It is not a synonym for 偷嘢, which means to steal objects.
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.
