I’m very sure that the word ‘tah pau‘ is a very common in today’s world. ‘Tah pau’ simply means ‘to take away’ in Cantonese. But none aware that this simple 2 syllables phrase has involved into something more than anyone can just take away.

The simple usages of the phrase ‘tah pau’ are as follows:

To order:
Usage : I wanna ‘tah pau’ McDonald’s.
Meaning : I want to order take-away from McDonald’s.

To express anger:
Usage : I wanna tah pau him or tah pau him
Meaning : I want to beat him up or whack him

To express interest:
Usage : I wanna tah pau her
Meaning : I want to seduce/have her.
(A less ungentlemanly act)
Meaning : I want to f*ck her.

To express dismay:
Usage : I got tah pau-ed, I kena tah pau

Meaning : I got beaten up, I got walloped

To express delight:
Usage : I tah pau everyone in the game!
Meaning : I beat everyone in the game!

To express sexual pleasure:
Usage : We had great sex last night, I tah pau her many times.
Meaning : We had great sex, she had multiple orgasm.

To get things done:
Usage : Let’s tah pau and go back!
Meaning : Let’s wrap things up and go back!

To take without permission:
Usage : I tah pau the book from him.
Meaning : I stole the book from him.

Here are only a few examples. You may find more ways to use this phrase in near future…just like how I did when I tah pau KY in my last Penang Ah Beng vs. Klang Ah Beng entry.

If you hear of anyone trying to tah pau you, RUN! They’re not gonna bring you food!