ziu3 tin4 gai1照田雞照田鸡
Jyutpingziu3 tin4 gai1
Yalejiu tìhn gāi
Definition
To use a flashlight at night for catching frogs, examining faces, or inspecting cars and bushes.
- to use a torch to find frogs in farmland at night
- datedfor fortune tellers to use a torch at night to examine customers' features
- slangto shine a torch into bushes or cars to look for couples making out
- for police officers to shine a torch into parked cars to inspect them
colloquialpeopleslang
How it's used
Originally referring to the rural practice of hunting frogs with a flashlight, this term has evolved into a slang expression for voyeurism. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying intrusive or creepy behavior. While it can still describe the literal act of hunting frogs, it is far more commonly used to describe someone peeping at couples in secluded areas.
Examples
They went to the peak at night to spy on couples, and bumped into people dating.
You are going to the park at night to spy on people, be careful of being treated as a pervert.
Related words
Common phrases
to go spying on couples
specifically to go spying
Common mistake
Do not use this term in a literal sense when talking to strangers, as they will almost certainly interpret it as you admitting to being a voyeur or a peeping tom.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
