bin6 ji1便衣
Jyutpingbin6 ji1
Yalebihn yī
Definition
A plainclothes police officer.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Refers specifically to police officers who intentionally hide their identity by wearing civilian clothes to conduct surveillance or make arrests. It is common to hear it used as a noun to describe the person rather than just the state of dress. Unlike formal descriptions, it carries a sense of stealth and professional secrecy.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
There are a few plainclothes officers over there investigating a case.
Related words
Common phrases
plainclothes detective
plainclothes police officer
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply wearing casual clothes, which is 著便服. Using 便衣 to describe a regular person in casual clothes is incorrect as it implies they are law enforcement.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
