wan4 tai1雲梯云梯
Jyutpingwan4 tai1
Yalewàhn tāi
Definition
An aerial ladder, such as those used by fire services or for climbing high walls.
neutraltransportother
How it's used
Primarily associated with emergency services, this term specifically refers to the extendable ladders mounted on fire engines. While it can technically describe any tall ladder used for scaling walls, using it in a non-firefighting context often sounds overly dramatic or literary.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
The firefighter raised the aerial ladder to rescue someone.
Do you see that aerial ladder on the fire truck?
Related words
Common phrases
to raise/deploy an aerial ladder
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with a standard household ladder, which is simply called 梯. Using 雲梯 for a small step ladder will sound very strange to native speakers.
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.
