ngoi6 zik6 jan4 si6外籍人士
Jyutpingngoi6 zik6 jan4 si6
Yalengoih jihk yàhn sih
Definition
Foreign national; a foreigner.
neutralpeople
How it's used
This term is primarily used in formal, administrative, or legal contexts, such as on government forms or in news reports. In everyday casual conversation, locals are much more likely to use the term 鬼佬, though this can carry a more informal or sometimes derogatory connotation depending on the speaker's intent.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
A lot of foreigners live around here.
Related words
Common phrases
foreigner registration
Common mistake
Avoid using this term in casual social settings as it sounds overly bureaucratic and detached. Using it to describe a friend or acquaintance can make you sound like you are reading from a police report or a news broadcast.
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.
