faa1 daan2花旦
Jyutpingfaa1 daan2
Yalefā dáan
Definition
A lively young female character role in traditional Chinese opera.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Beyond the traditional opera context, this term is frequently used in Hong Kong entertainment news to refer to the top-tier leading actresses under contract with major television stations. When applied to modern celebrities, it carries a sense of prestige and signifies that the actress is a pillar of the network's drama productions. It is a gendered term that specifically highlights the status of female stars in the industry.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
She really wanted to be a huadan when she was little.
Who is playing the huadan in this play?
Related words
Common phrases
the leading actress of a television station
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the general term for actress, 女演員. Using it for a random actress who is not a leading star or a professional opera performer will sound confusing or overly dramatic.
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.
