tok3 fong1拓荒
Jyutpingtok3 fong1
Yaletok fōng
Definition
To open up, clear, or reclaim new land for cultivation or development.
neutraldaily actionsother
How it's used
Primarily used in historical or metaphorical contexts to describe the initial, difficult stages of establishing a presence in a new or undeveloped area. It carries a sense of grit and pioneering spirit, often implying that the environment was previously wild or uninhabited. While it can apply to physical land, it is also frequently used figuratively to describe starting a new business or entering an unexplored field of research.
Examples
They decided to go far away to open up land and cultivate new farmland.
Opening up land back then was really tough, there was nothing there.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 開發, which is a broader term for development that can apply to existing urban areas or software projects. 拓荒 specifically emphasizes the act of breaking ground in a previously untouched or wild environment.
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.
