bing1兵

Jyutpingbing1

Yalebīng

名詞Common

Definition

Soldier, troop, or army.

colloquialpeopleslang

How it's used

Beyond the literal meaning of a military soldier, this term is widely used in modern slang to describe a person who is constantly at the beck and call of someone they are romantically interested in, often without reciprocation. Being a 兵 implies a one-sided devotion where the person acts like a servant or bodyguard for their crush. This metaphorical usage is extremely common in social media and casual conversations about dating dynamics.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

keoi5佢sai3細go3個go2嗰zan6陣hou2好soeng2想zou6做bing1兵。

He really wanted to be a soldier when he was young.

go2嗰deoi2隊bing1兵hai2喺bin1邊dou6度zyu3駐sau2守aa3呀？

Where is that troop of soldiers stationed?

Common phrases

ke4騎bing1兵

cavalry

zou6做bing1兵

to be a soldier (or to be a romantic follower)

Common mistake

Do not confuse the literal military sense with the slang usage, as calling someone a 兵 in a romantic context carries a derogatory connotation of being a 'simp' or a 'friend-zoned' follower.