fan6 zi2份子
Jyutpingfan6 zi2
Yalefahn jí
Definition
Member of a group; element or component.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used to describe someone belonging to a specific group, often with a negative or ideological connotation. While it shares the same characters as the scientific term for molecule, the pronunciation shift in Cantonese distinguishes the social meaning from the physical one. It frequently appears in news or political discourse to label individuals within a movement.
Examples
He is a radical.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the scientific term for molecule, but in social contexts, it always implies a person who is a member of a group or faction. Avoid using it to refer to a simple club member or a casual participant, as it carries a weightier, more formal tone.
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.
