拍拖

Chinese

		to cable; to wire	to drag
trad. (拍拖)		拍	拖
simp. #(拍拖)		拍	拖

Etymology

Originally Cantonese from the Pearl River Delta region, meaning "hitched together" (of row-boat attached to motor-boat). Usually, the larger ship carries the cargo and drags the boat. The main channel is greatly dragged. When the shore is near, the larger ship is stuck in deep water and has difficulty docking. At this time, the boat unloads the cargo and goes back and forth, thus giving rise to the dating analogy.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): pāituō

  (Zhuyin): ㄆㄞ ㄊㄨㄛ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): paak³ to¹
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): phah-tho / phah-tho͘

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: pāituō
    • Zhuyin: ㄆㄞ ㄊㄨㄛ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: paituo
    • Wade–Giles: pʻai¹-tʻo¹
    • Yale: pāi-twō
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: paituo
    • Palladius: пайто (pajto)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ tʰu̯ɔ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: paak³ to¹
    • Yale: paak tō
    • Cantonese Pinyin: paak⁸ to¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: pag³ to¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰaːk̚³ tʰɔː⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phah-tho
    • Tâi-lô: phah-tho
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phahtoy
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰa(ʔ)⁵ tʰo³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /pʰa(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ tʰo⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Penang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phah-tho͘
    • Tâi-lô: phah-thoo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phahtof
    • IPA (Penang): /pʰa(ʔ)³⁻⁴ tʰɔ³³/

Note: phah-tho͘ - from Cantonese.

Verb

拍拖

1. (colloquial) to date somebody; to go on a date with somebody

Synonyms

• 談戀愛／谈恋爱 (tán liàn'ài)

Descendants

• → English: paktor