loeng4 soeng5 gwan1 zi2樑上君子梁上君子

Jyutpingloeng4 soeng5 gwan1 zi2

Yalelèuhng séuhng gwān jí

Definition

A burglar or thief.

colloquialpeople

How it's used

This is a literary idiom that functions as a polite or euphemistic way to refer to a thief. It originates from a story in the Later Han dynasty where a homeowner caught a thief hiding on a roof beam and addressed him with this respectful title instead of calling him a criminal. Using it in modern conversation adds a touch of irony or dry humor to the situation.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

uk1屋kei2企jap6入zo2咗loeng4樑soeng5上gwan1君zi2子，hou2好coi2彩mou5冇m4唔gin3見je5嘢。

A burglar broke into the house, luckily nothing was missing.

nei5你gin3見dou2到loeng4樑soeng5上gwan1君zi2子gei3記dak1得bou3報ging2警aa4呀。

Remember to call the police if you see a burglar.

Common phrases

fong4防faan6範loeng4樑soeng5上gwan1君zi2子

guard against burglars

Common mistake

Do not use this term in a serious police report or a legal context, as it is a literary allusion rather than a standard term for a criminal. It is meant for storytelling or sarcastic commentary, not for objective description.