to1 dou6拖艔

Jyutpingto1 dou6

Yaletō douh

Definition

Passenger boat towed by a motorboat.

colloquialtransport

How it's used

Historically, this term refers to small wooden boats that lacked their own engines and relied on being pulled by a larger vessel. While modern transport has largely replaced them, the term persists in older generations or specific rural contexts. It carries a nostalgic feel of older harbor life rather than modern maritime terminology.

Measure word

zek3隻jek

Examples

ngo5我dei6哋daap6搭go2嗰zek3隻to1拖艔dou2去heoi3對deoi3面min6岸ngon6呀。

We are taking that passenger boat towed by a motor boat to the other side.

le1呢zek3隻to1拖艔dou2好hou2慢，maan6你nei5趕gon2時si4間gaan3就zau6唔m4好hou2搭daap6喇。

This towed passenger boat is very slow, don't take it if you are in a hurry.

Common phrases

daap6搭to1拖艔

to take a towed passenger boat

co5坐to1拖艔

to ride in a towed passenger boat

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with a standard ferry or motorboat, as the defining feature is the lack of an independent engine and the reliance on being towed. It is not a generic term for any small boat.