haan4 jan4閒人闲人
Jyutpinghaan4 jan4
Yalehàahn yàhn
Definition
An idle person, an outsider, or someone with no business or concern in a matter.
- an outsider; someone with no business or connection to a matter
- an idle person; a person of leisure
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Often seen on signs as 閒人免進 to restrict access to construction sites or private offices. It carries a slightly dismissive tone when used to describe someone who is just hanging around without a purpose. It implies that the person is not only idle but also potentially a nuisance or an outsider to the current situation.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
This is a private area, unauthorized people are not allowed to enter.
Don't let idlers disturb you while you are working.
Related words
Common phrases
No unauthorized persons allowed
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 懶人, which specifically refers to a lazy person. 閒人 focuses on the lack of involvement or authorization rather than a lack of work ethic.
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.
