man4 san4文臣
Jyutpingman4 san4
Yalemàhn sàhn
Definition
Civilian court official in former times.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to government officials in imperial China who were appointed based on literary and administrative merit rather than military prowess. It is almost exclusively used in historical contexts, such as when discussing period dramas, novels, or traditional Chinese history. When paired with 武將, it forms a standard dichotomy used to describe the two main branches of the imperial bureaucracy.
Measure word
wai2位wáiExamples
This drama is about the struggles between civilian and military officials.
Did civilian officials back then have to pass the imperial examination?
Related words
Common phrases
civilian and military officials
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
