tok3 laai6托賴托赖
Jyutpingtok3 laai6
Yaletok laaih
Definition
Thanks to; to be indebted to (someone or something) for one's good fortune.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Used primarily as a humble response when someone asks about your well-being or progress. It functions as a polite way to deflect credit or acknowledge good fortune, often implying that your success or recovery is due to the kindness or support of others rather than your own efforts. It is a staple of polite social interaction in Hong Kong.
Examples
How is business lately? Thanks to your support, it is doing okay.
He has recovered a lot, thanks to everyone's care.
Related words
Common phrases
thanks to you (repeated for emphasis)
Common mistake
Avoid using this in formal written reports or academic contexts, as it is strictly a conversational expression. It is also not a direct translation of the English word thanks, so do not use it to express gratitude for a specific service or gift.
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.
