kwan4 daai2裙帶裙带
Jyutpingkwan4 daai2
Yalekwàhn dáai
Definition
Nepotic; relating to nepotism or using one's family connections to gain influence.
neutralpeoplework
How it's used
Refers specifically to the practice of using family connections or personal ties to secure positions or benefits. It carries a strong negative connotation of unfairness and lack of meritocracy. The term is almost exclusively used in the compound 裙帶關係.
Examples
He got that job through nepotism.
Don't always think about climbing the ladder through nepotism.
Related words
Common phrases
nepotism
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of clothing or fashion because of the character 裙, but it is strictly a metaphorical term for social or political favoritism.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
