wai4 bou6圍捕围捕
Jyutpingwai4 bou6
Yalewàih bouh
Definition
To surround and capture or seize a target.
neutralpeopleanimals
How it's used
Focuses on the tactical act of closing in on a target from multiple directions to prevent escape. While it can apply to animals or objects, it is most frequently used in news reports or dramatic storytelling involving police operations or hunting. It implies a coordinated effort rather than a simple act of grabbing or catching.
Examples
The police have already surrounded and captured that thief.
Are they trying to surround and catch that lost dog?
Related words
Common phrases
join forces to surround and capture
surround-and-capture operation
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 捉 which is a general term for catching or grabbing. 圍捕 specifically requires the element of surrounding or encircling the target first.
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.
