man4 jyun4文員文员
Jyutpingman4 jyun4
Yalemàhn yùhn
Definition
An office clerk or clerical worker.
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
Adding the diminutive suffix 仔 to form 文員仔 is extremely common in casual speech to sound humble or self-deprecating about one's job status. While 文員 is the standard professional title, using it without the suffix can sometimes sound slightly stiff or overly formal in a relaxed social setting.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He works as an office clerk at that company.
How long have you been working as an office clerk?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 文員 to describe someone in a high-level administrative or management role, as it specifically implies a junior, clerical position. For more senior office roles, use terms like 文職人員 or specific job titles.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
