zang1 zyu6爭住争住
Jyutpingzang1 zyu6
Yalejāng jyuh
Definition
To rush or scramble to do something before others; to vie for.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
This term captures a sense of competitive urgency where multiple people want to be the first to perform an action. It implies a social or physical race where the goal is to beat others to a specific outcome. Unlike simple haste, it highlights the interaction between people competing for the same opportunity or task.
Examples
They are all fighting to treat me to a meal, they are so enthusiastic.
Why are you rushing to queue up to buy the tickets?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 爭取, which means to strive for or fight for a goal or right in a more abstract or long-term sense. 爭住 is strictly about the immediate, physical act of rushing to do something before others.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
