lou5 zi2老子
Definition
Laozi, the ancient Chinese philosopher, or the classic text Tao Te Ching attributed to him.
- Laozi; ancient Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism
- Tao Te Ching; the classic Taoist text attributed to Laozi
How it's used
Beyond the historical philosopher, the term is frequently used in colloquial Cantonese as a self-referential pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me' to express arrogance or dominance. When used this way, it carries a very aggressive, condescending, or 'tough guy' tone, similar to saying 'yours truly' or 'this guy' in a confrontational manner. It is essential to distinguish between the respectful reference to the historical figure and this slang usage, as the latter can easily cause offense.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Using the slang version of this word in a formal or polite setting will make you sound extremely rude or belligerent. Never use it to refer to yourself unless you are intentionally trying to sound aggressive or dismissive of others.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
