cau4 faan2囚犯
Jyutpingcau4 faan2
Yalechàuh fáan
Definition
Prisoner; inmate; a criminal confined to a prison.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to someone currently serving time behind bars. While technically accurate, it sounds quite formal or clinical in everyday speech, where people often prefer to use descriptive phrases like 坐監嘅人 or 犯人 depending on the context.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
That prisoner escaped from jail yesterday.
Do you know how long that prisoner was sentenced for?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe someone who has committed a crime but is not currently incarcerated, as it implies physical confinement.
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.
