zing1 caat3偵察侦察
Jyutpingzing1 caat3
Yalejīng chaat
Definition
To reconnoiter or scout; to gather intelligence on the enemy and the battlefield.
neutralworkother
How it's used
Primarily used in military or formal investigative contexts, this term carries a sense of strategic observation. While it can apply to police work, it feels more tactical and deliberate than simply watching or checking on someone. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation unless discussing games, movies, or historical events.
Examples
They sent people to scout the enemy's position.
Do you know who is responsible for the reconnaissance mission?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 探測, which usually refers to detecting physical phenomena like temperature or radiation rather than scouting for information on an opponent or target.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
