ziu1 bing1 maai5 maa5招𠔊買馬招𠔊买马
Definition
To recruit followers, gather support, or get backup ready to strengthen one's forces, especially for a conflict.
How it's used
Originally referring to the military recruitment of soldiers and horses in historical warfare, this phrase is now used metaphorically in daily life to describe gathering resources, allies, or staff for a specific project or confrontation. It carries a slightly dramatic or intense tone, implying that the task ahead is significant or challenging enough to require a team effort. It is frequently used in business or competitive contexts when someone is aggressively expanding their influence or team size.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase for simple, casual invitations like asking a friend to join you for dinner. It specifically implies a strategic gathering of forces for a goal or a fight, so using it for trivial matters sounds overly serious or sarcastic.
Grammar color guide
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).
