loi4 jan4來人来人
Jyutpingloi4 jan4
Yalelòih yàhn
Definition
A call used by a master to summon a servant.
datedpeople
How it's used
This expression is exclusively found in period dramas or historical fiction set in imperial China. It carries a strong sense of feudal hierarchy and is never used in modern, real-life interactions. Using this in a contemporary setting would sound extremely theatrical or like a joke.
Examples
Someone come here, quickly pour me a cup of tea.
Related words
Common phrases
Someone come here
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general way to call someone over, but it specifically implies a master-servant relationship and sounds arrogant or archaic in any other context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
