to1 to1 laai1 laai1拖拖拉拉
Jyutpingto1 to1 laai1 laai1
Yaletō tō lāai lāai
Definition
To dilly-dally, procrastinate, or hesitate to resolve an ambiguous relationship or situation.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
This reduplicated idiom captures a sense of frustrating indecision or lack of momentum. While it often describes romantic entanglements that refuse to resolve, it is equally common in professional or daily settings to criticize someone for being inefficient or procrastinating on a task.
Examples
How much longer are you two going to keep dragging this out?
Don't drag your feet when working, be faster.
Related words
Common phrases
a messy or unresolved relationship
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 拖手, which literally means holding hands. Ensure you do not use this phrase when you simply mean to walk hand in hand with a partner.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
