lou5 jung1老翁
Jyutpinglou5 jung1
Yalelóuh yūng
Definition
An elderly man; an old gentleman.
neutralpeople
How it's used
This term is formal and literary, often appearing in news reports or written descriptions rather than casual conversation. When speaking to or about an elderly person in daily life, people usually prefer using 阿伯 or 長者 to sound more natural and respectful. Using this word in a casual setting can make you sound like you are reading from a newspaper or telling a story.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Did you see an old man sitting in the park?
Related words
Common phrases
an old gentleman
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to address an elderly person directly, as it sounds overly formal and distant. It is strictly a third-person descriptor used to identify someone's age and gender in a narrative 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.
