haak3 zai2客仔
Jyutpinghaak3 zai2
Yalehaak jái
Definition
Customer or patron, often used as a familiar or informal term behind their back.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Adding the diminutive suffix 仔 turns the formal term 客戶 into a more casual, sometimes slightly dismissive or affectionate label. It is frequently used by staff when discussing clients among themselves in the back office, but it would be considered rude or unprofessional to address a client directly this way.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Business is good at the shop today, lots of customers are queuing up to buy things.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this term in professional settings or when speaking directly to a client, as the 仔 suffix can make it sound condescending or overly familiar.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
