buk6 jan4僕人仆人
Jyutpingbuk6 jan4
Yalebuhk yàhn
Definition
Servant; a domestic worker hired to do chores and attend to a household master.
datedpeoplehome
How it's used
Using this term to describe modern domestic helpers is considered highly offensive and outdated. In contemporary Hong Kong, the standard and respectful term for a domestic worker is 工人 or more specifically 外傭. Calling someone a servant implies a feudal master-slave relationship that does not align with modern social norms.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Their family hired a servant to help with housework.
Only wealthy families in the past would hire servants.
Related words
Common phrases
to serve the master
Common mistake
Avoid using this word in casual conversation or when referring to a domestic helper, as it carries a derogatory tone of servitude that can be perceived as insulting.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
