gong2 jan4 si2講人事讲人事
Jyutpinggong2 jan4 si2
Yalegóng yàhn sí
Definition
To handle matters based on personal relationships and emotion rather than rules and reason.
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
Refers to a workplace or social environment where personal connections and favoritism override objective rules or merit. It carries a negative connotation, implying that fairness is sacrificed for the sake of maintaining social harmony or personal gain. It is frequently used to complain about unfair promotion or hiring practices.
Examples
This company handles things based on connections, it is really unbearable.
Do you think being reasonable is enough? Here, it is all about who you know.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the HR department, which is officially called 人事部. While the characters are the same, 講人事 refers to the informal, often corrupt practice of nepotism or cronyism, not the formal administrative function.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
