waan4 to1還拖还拖
Jyutpingwaan4 to1
Yalewàahn tō
Definition
To fight back or launch a counter-attack.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Originating from the context of physical brawls, this term is now frequently used metaphorically in workplace or social settings to describe responding to verbal attacks or criticism. It carries a sense of active resistance rather than passive endurance. Using this word implies that the speaker feels they have been provoked and are justified in their retaliation.
Examples
He hit me, I must fight back.
Why didn't you fight back?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the formal term 反擊, which is more commonly used in news reports or written descriptions of military or strategic counterattacks. Using 還拖 in a formal written essay would sound overly aggressive and out of place.
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.
