jau2 zai2友仔
Jyutpingjau2 zai2
Yaleyáu jái
Definition
Guy, fellow, or dude; a somewhat informal or impolite way to refer to a person.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Carries a slightly derogatory or dismissive tone, often implying the speaker does not respect or trust the person being referred to. It is strictly informal and should be avoided in professional or polite settings. Using it to refer to someone you do not know well can easily come across as rude or aggressive.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
Why is that guy making so much noise?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 朋友, which is the standard word for friend. Calling someone a 友仔 is definitely not a way to express friendship and can be seen as an insult.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
