V+埋（固定搭配）

Closing and Hiding Verbs

Level 5Sounds Like maai4

In Cantonese, the particle 埋 (maai4) often acts as a 'resultative complement' for specific verbs. When you close a door, hide an object, or fold clothes, adding 埋 (maai4) emphasizes the resulting state: that the thing is now shut tight, tucked away, or folded up.

How It Works

The particle 埋 (maai4) functions here as a resultative complement. This means it describes the result of the action. In colloquial Cantonese, using the bare verb for these actions often sounds incomplete or overly blunt.

This pattern is specifically used with three categories of verbs:

  • Closing/Joining: 閂埋 (saan1 maai4 - to close up), 合埋 (hap6 maai4 - to shut together, like eyes or a book).
  • Hiding/Concealing: 匿埋 (nei1 maai4 - to hide away), 收埋 (sau1 maai4 - to stow away/hide something), 遮埋 (ze1 maai4 - to cover up).
  • Folding/Joining: 摺埋 (zip3 maai4 - to fold up), 夾埋 (gaap3 maai4 - to pool together/collude).

Unlike the 'additive' version of 埋 (maai4) (meaning 'also'), this resultative version is usually lexicalized, meaning the verb and the particle are treated as one unit. You cannot put the object between the verb and 埋 (maai4). For example, you must say 閂埋門 (saan1 maai4 mun4) 'close the door,' not *閂門埋.

Examples (5)

  1. 閂埋道門，出面好嘈。

    Close the door; it's very noisy outside.

    Word by Word: Close-up [classifier] door, outside very noisy.

    閂埋 (saan1 maai4) is the standard way to say 'close' when referring to a door or window to ensure it is shut.

  2. 佢驚到匿埋喺床底。

    He was so scared that he hid away under the bed.

    Word by Word: He scared until hide-away at bed bottom.

    匿埋 (nei1 maai4) is a common expression for 'to hide away.' The bare verb 匿 (nei1) is also used alone; 匿埋 stresses hiding completely.

  3. 記得收埋啲錢，唔好俾人見到。

    Remember to hide the money away; don't let people see it.

    Word by Word: Remember hide-away [plural] money, not good let people see-attain.

    收埋 (sau1 maai4) implies putting something into a hidden or secure place.

  4. 攰就合埋眼抖吓啦。

    If you're tired, just close your eyes and rest a bit.

    Word by Word: Tired then join-together eyes rest a-bit [particle].

    合埋 (hap6 maai4) is used for things that come together, like eyes, lips, or the pages of a book.

  5. 幫我摺埋啲衫佢。

    Help me fold up these clothes.

    Word by Word: Help me fold-up [plural] clothes them.

    摺埋 (zip3 maai4) indicates the result of folding something into a compact state.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking verbs of hiding always need 埋 (maai4).

    Different Meaning佢匿喺房入面。
    佢匿埋喺房入面。

    佢匿喺房入面 is a normal sentence. 匿埋 (nei1 maai4) adds the idea of hiding away out of sight, so 佢匿埋喺房入面 sounds like he is tucked away completely. 埋 often goes with verbs of hiding and closing, but it is not required.

  • Putting 埋 (maai4) after the object.

    佢閂門埋。
    佢閂埋門。

    埋 (maai4) attaches right after the verb, as in 閂埋門. Depending on context it can mean 'shut the door tight' or 'close the door too, as well as other things'.

How It Connects

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V+埋（固定搭配）Level 5Closing and Hiding Verbs

Learn This First

To understand lexicalised uses of 埋, learners first need to be comfortable with how Cantonese uses verbal particles to change a verb's meaning. It is also helpful to understand the literal directional sense of 埋 (moving closer/together), as this provides the logic for why it is used in verbs related to closing (bringing parts together) or hiding (moving into a space).

Words in This Pattern