waan5 lau4挽留

Jyutpingwaan5 lau4

Yalewáahn làuh

動詞Uncommon

Definition

To urge or persuade someone to stay instead of leaving or resigning.

neutralworkpeople

How it's used

Focuses specifically on the act of persuading someone to remain in a position or relationship when they have expressed an intent to leave. It carries a formal or professional weight, often used in the context of employment or high stakes personal departures. While it implies an effort to keep someone, it does not guarantee success and often highlights the tension between the leaver and the one attempting to retain them.

Examples

keoi5佢ci4辭zik1職go2嗰zan6陣，lou5老baan2闆jau5有mou5冇waan5挽lau4留keoi5佢aa4呀？

Did the boss try to keep him when he resigned?

ngo5我ji5已ging1經kyut3決ding6定zau2走，nei5你m4唔sai2使zoi3再waan5挽lau4留ngo5我laa3喇。

I have already decided to leave, you do not need to try to keep me anymore.

Common phrases

gik6極lik6力waan5挽lau4留

to make every effort to persuade someone to stay

waan5挽lau4留jan4人coi4才

to retain talent

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 留低, which simply means to stay behind or leave something behind. 挽留 implies an active, persuasive effort to prevent a departure, whereas 留低 is a neutral description of staying or remaining.