gun2 gaa1管家
Jyutpinggun2 gaa1
Yalegún gā
Definition
Housekeeper; a servant who manages household affairs.
neutralpeoplehome
How it's used
Refers specifically to someone employed to manage the daily operations of a household, including supervising other staff or handling maintenance. It carries a slightly formal or old-fashioned nuance compared to modern terms like 傭人 or 工人. In contemporary Hong Kong, it is rarely used for standard domestic helpers, who are more commonly referred to as 工人姐姐.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
This housekeeper is very attentive and helps us manage the home.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the verb 管, which means to manage or interfere. Using 管家 as a verb to mean managing a household is incorrect.
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.
