zaau6 ngaan5 tai2驟眼睇骤眼睇
Jyutpingzaau6 ngaan5 tai2
Yalejaauh ngáahn tái
Definition
At a glance; quickly looking at something without focusing on details.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Focuses on the initial, superficial impression before one has had time to examine the details. It often implies that a closer inspection might reveal a different reality, making it a common way to introduce a correction or a realization. Use it when you want to emphasize that your first judgment was based on a quick, incomplete observation.
Examples
At a glance, I thought he was my old classmate.
Can you take a quick look and see if there are any issues with this document?
Common phrases
looking at it at a glance
looks like at a glance
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a thorough check or a deliberate investigation, as it specifically highlights the lack of detail. It is strictly for the first, fleeting moment of perception.
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.
