aa3 fei1阿飛阿飞
Jyutpingaa3 fei1
Yalea fēi
Definition
A young dandy, rowdy, or hoodlum.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Originating from the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, which was titled 阿飛正傳 in Hong Kong, the term evolved to describe rebellious youth or street-smart troublemakers. It carries a slightly retro, mid-century vibe compared to more modern slang for gangsters or thugs. While it can imply a sense of aimless drifting, it is often used to describe someone who is perceived as a bad influence or a public nuisance.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
That hoodlum is always picking fights on the street.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 飛仔, which is a more general and common term for a delinquent or someone who behaves like a hoodlum. 阿飛 is slightly more specific to the archetype of a rebellious, leather-jacket-wearing type of youth.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
