jan4 mun4人們人们
Jyutpingjan4 mun4
Yaleyàhn mùhn
Definition
People; others; everyone.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Native speakers rarely use the formal term 人們 in spoken Cantonese, preferring the more natural 啲人. Using 人們 in casual conversation sounds stiff, academic, or like a direct translation from written Chinese. Reserve it for formal writing or public speeches where a more detached tone is required.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 人們 as a direct translation for the English word people in everyday speech, as it sounds unnatural and overly formal. Stick to 啲人 to sound like a local.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
