ngoi6 lou4外勞外劳
Jyutpingngoi6 lou4
Yalengoih lòuh
Definition
Foreign worker; labor imported from another region or country.
neutralworkpeople
How it's used
Often used in political and economic discussions regarding labor shortages in sectors like construction or elderly care. It carries a slightly detached or administrative tone, focusing on the workforce as a collective group rather than individuals.
Examples
The government says they need to import more foreign workers.
Do you think there are enough foreign workers here to do the job?
Related words
Common phrases
to import foreign labor
foreign labor policy
Common mistake
Avoid using this term to refer to individual domestic helpers, as they are specifically called 外傭. Using the term for domestic helpers can sound dehumanizing or overly bureaucratic.
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.
