co5 ji4 man4 gaam1坐移民監坐移民监
Jyutpingco5 ji4 man4 gaam1
Yalechóh yìh màhn gāam
Definition
To reside in a foreign country for a required duration to obtain residency or citizenship.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
The term carries a slightly cynical or weary tone, likening the mandatory residency period to serving a prison sentence. It highlights the frustration of being physically stuck in a foreign country solely for legal status rather than for personal enjoyment or career growth. It is almost exclusively used by people from Hong Kong discussing emigration plans.
Examples
He has to stay there to fulfill residency requirements in order to get a passport.
Where are you planning to go to fulfill your residency requirements?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this term in formal legal or immigration documents, as it is strictly colloquial slang. It is also not used to describe actual detention by immigration authorities, which would be referred to as 扣留.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
