ze3 tau4 ze3 lou6借頭借路借头借路
Jyutpingze3 tau4 ze3 lou6
Yaleje tàuh je louh
Definition
To make up excuses or find pretexts to gain an advantage or do something convenient for oneself.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
This idiom carries a slightly negative connotation, implying that the person is being manipulative or insincere to achieve a hidden goal. It is often used when someone repeatedly creates flimsy pretexts to get close to someone or to avoid a responsibility. The structure suggests a sense of aimless wandering or searching for a path to exploit.
Examples
He always finds excuses to come see me; he must want to ask me for something.
Don't make excuses to be late; everyone is waiting for you.
Related words
Common phrases
to find an excuse to leave
to find an excuse to come over
Common mistake
Learners sometimes mistake this for a literal request to borrow something, but it has nothing to do with borrowing. It is strictly used to describe the act of fabricating excuses or pretexts.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
