jan4 si6人氏

Jyutpingjan4 si6

Yaleyàhn sih

名詞

Definition

A person from a certain place of birth or origin.

writtenpeople

How it's used

This term is formal and carries a slightly literary or classical tone, often appearing in historical narratives or official biographical records. It is rarely used in casual, everyday speech, where people would simply say 邊度人 or 廣東人 instead. Using it in a normal conversation can make you sound like you are reading from a historical novel or trying to sound overly sophisticated.

Examples

keoi5佢hai6係bin1邊dou6度jan4人si6氏aa4呀？

Where is he from?

ngo5我hai6係gwong2廣dung1東jan4人si6氏，hou2好zung1鍾ji3意sik6食dim2點sam1心。

I am from Guangdong and I really like eating dim sum.

Common phrases

gwong2廣dung1東jan4人si6氏

person from Guangdong

bun2本dei6地jan4人si6氏

local person

Common mistake

Learners often mistakenly use it as a direct translation for any context involving origin, but it is specifically tied to ancestral home or place of birth in a formal sense. Do not use it to describe someone's current residence or where they grew up if that differs from their ancestral roots.