2.11 Vocabulary: People

We can use the following two classifiers with people:

ClassifierFunction / Use
個
go3
- Used as the default classifier for people
位
wai2
- More formal
- Used to show respect or be polite to the people we refer to

位 wai2 is only used in a few situations. When you are not sure, you can simply use 個 go3.

1.人jan4person
Note: We sometimes say jan2 when the word appears right after the classifier 個 go3.
jan2
2.男仔naam4 zai2teenage boy; young man
3.女仔neoi5 zai2teenage girl; young woman
4.男人naam4 jan2man
5.女人neoi5 jan2woman
6.朋友pang4 jau5friend
7.friendfen1friend
8.同學tung4 hok6classmate
9.同事tung4 si6colleague
10.阿頭aa3 tau2supervisor
11.上司soeng6 si1[formal] supervisor
12.老闆lou5 baan2boss
13.老細lou5 sai3boss
14.男朋友naam4 pang4 jau5boyfriend
15.女朋友neoi5 pang4 jau5girlfriend
16.老公lou5 gung1husband
17.老婆lou5 po4wife
18.先生sin1 saang1[more formal] husband
19.太太taai3 taai2[more formal] wife

We can use these gender-neutral terms to refer to a partner.

20.另一半ling6 jat1 bun3other half
21.伴侶bun6 leoi5partner
22.partnerpaat1 naa4partner

Here are some notes:

  1. When we refer to a person with indication of the person’s gender, we pick the word based on the person’s age. For teenagers or young adults, we can use 男仔 naam4 zai2 or 女仔 neoi5 zai2. For adults, we can use 男人 naam4 jan2 or 女人 neoi5 jan2.

  2. 同 tung4 = together
    同學 tung4 hok6 = 同 tung4 (‘together’) + 學hok6 (‘to learn’)
    同事 tung4 si6 = 同 tung4 (‘together’) + 事 si6 (‘to do’)

  3. 上司 soeng6 si1 is more formal than 阿頭 aa3 tau2. 上司 soeng6 si1 is less frequently used in everyday conversations. Both 老闆 lou5 baan2 and 老細 lou5 sai3 are frequently used.

  4. 先生 sin1 saang1 and 太太 taai3 taai2 are more formal than 老公 lou5 gung1 and 老婆 lou5 po4. We usually use 先生 sin1 saang1 and 太太 taai3 taai2 when we want to be polite and show respect to the person we refer to.

😈 Sensitive Content

In very informal conversations, we can use the classifier 條 tiu4, instead of 個 go3 or 位 wai2, when referring to a person. Note that some people consider the use of 條 tiu4 vulgar and find it offensive.

We often use 條 tiu4 with the words 友 jau2 (‘guy’), 仔 zai2 (‘teenage boy or young man’) and 女 neoi2 (‘teenage girl or young woman’) in a demonstrative construction to refer to someone informally.

DemonstrativeClassifierNoun
呢
ni1
this
條
tiu4
友
jau2
guy
嗰
go2
that
仔
zai2
teenage boy; young man
女
neoi2
teenage girl; young woman

呢條友
ni1 tiu4 jau2
this person

嗰條仔
go2 tiu4 zai2
that teenage boy or young man

嗰條女
go2 tiu4 neoi2
that teenage girl or young woman

We also use 條 tiu4 with the words 仔 zai2 and 女 neoi2 in a possessive construction to refer to someone’s boyfriend or girlfriend informally. Notice the meanings of 仔 zai2 and 女 neoi2 become ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’ respectively here.

PossessorClassifierPossessed
Personal pronoun
條
tiu4
仔
zai2
boyfriend
Person’s name 女
neoi2
girlfriend

佢條女
keoi5 tiu4 neoi2
his / her girlfriend

Janice條仔
Janice tiu4 zai2
Janice’s boyfriend

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