loeng4 dei6 gun1量地官
Jyutpingloeng4 dei6 gun1
Yalelèuhng deih gūn
Definition
A land surveyor, or humorously, an unemployed person who paces the streets.
- land surveyor
- slangan unemployed person
colloquialworkslang
How it's used
Originally referring to a government surveyor, this term has evolved into a common piece of slang for someone who is unemployed. The shift relies on a pun where the character 量 is interpreted as the verb for pacing or wandering, suggesting someone who has nothing better to do than walk the streets. It carries a slightly mocking or self-deprecating tone when used to describe joblessness.
Measure word
go3個goRelated words
Common mistake
Do not use this term in a professional or formal context to refer to actual government surveyors, as the slang meaning is now far more common than the literal one. Using it to describe a real land surveyor will likely cause confusion or sound unintentionally insulting.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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Classifier
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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.
