faai3 leoi5傀儡
Jyutpingfaai3 leoi5
Yalefaai léuih
Definition
Puppet; stooge; a person or entity completely controlled and manipulated by another.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
This term carries a strong negative connotation of lacking autonomy or personal agency. It is frequently used in political contexts to describe leaders who hold titles but have no real power, but it applies equally well to personal relationships where someone is being manipulated by another.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He is just a puppet for the boss.
Don't be someone else's puppet.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a literal toy puppet, which is better referred to as 木偶. Using 傀儡 for a physical toy sounds overly dramatic or literary.
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.
