andâ a nóvi

Macanese

Alternative forms
  • andá à-nóvi

Etymology

Likely from old-fashioned Portuguese andar a/à nove (“to move quickly”, literally “to walk to (the) nine”), derived from Lisboner tram driver slang, where reaching the 9th contact point is required on the lever to reach the highest speed of the tram.[1]

Verb

andâ a nóvi (idiomatic)

  1. (of people) to be busy, to be on the go all day[2]
    Tio Cha-Chai quelora jóvi, nho-nhónha andá à-nóvi!
    Uncle Cha-Chai when young would be on the go all day!
  2. (of the heart) to beat quickly (clarification of this definition is needed)
    Coraçám andá á-novi, vêlo lô ficá ferado.
    If his heart behaves like that of a youth, the old man will be duped.

Usage notes
  • a is not used as a standalone word in Macanese.

References
  1. https://www.hipersuper.pt/2015/03/03/a-informacao-anda-a-nove-por-vasco-davillez/
  2. https://www.macaneselibrary.org/pub/english/uipatua.htm
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