aa1 waan4丫鬟
Jyutpingaa1 waan4
Yaleā wàahn
Definition
Maidservant or servant girl in ancient times.
datedpeoplefamily
How it's used
Refers specifically to a young female domestic servant in a historical or traditional household setting. It carries a strong connotation of social hierarchy and is rarely used to describe modern domestic helpers. Using this term to refer to a contemporary helper is considered highly offensive and derogatory.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Wealthy families in the past used to hire servant girls.
Related words
Common phrases
to order a servant girl around
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a modern helper or maid, as it implies a feudal relationship of servitude that is culturally sensitive and insulting in a modern context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
