jau4 zi1 zai2油脂仔
Jyutpingjau4 zi1 zai2
Yaleyàuh jī jái
Definition
Young hooligan or teddy boy.
colloquialpeopleslang
How it's used
Originating from the 1978 film Grease, this term specifically evokes the image of rebellious youth with slicked back hair and leather jackets. While it once carried a very specific cultural connotation of 1950s style delinquency, it is now used more broadly to describe any group of rowdy or delinquent young men. It carries a stronger sense of disapproval than simply calling someone a 飛仔.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
That group of young hooligans is always making a racket in the park.
Don't hang out with those young hooligans, it's very dangerous.
Related words
Common phrases
a whole group of young hooligans
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of oil or grease on skin, which is 油脂. Using it to describe someone with oily skin will cause confusion as it is strictly a label for a social archetype.
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.
