nou4奴

Jyutpingnou4

Yalenòuh

語素Uncommon

Definition

Slave or servant; someone whose freedom is completely monopolized by something.

colloquialpeoplework

How it's used

This character is rarely used as a standalone noun in modern spoken Cantonese to refer to a literal servant. Instead, it functions primarily as a suffix in compound words to describe someone who is metaphorically enslaved by a specific burden, lifestyle, or obsession. It carries a strong sense of self-deprecation or social critique regarding modern pressures.

Examples

keoi5佢zou6做je5嘢zou6做dou3到hou2好ci5似lau2樓nou4奴gam3咁。

He works like a mortgage slave.

nei5你m4唔hou2好zou6做cin2錢ge3嘅nou4奴dai6隸aa4呀。

Don't become a slave to money.

Common phrases

lau2樓nou4奴

mortgage slave

ce1車nou4奴

car slave

Common mistake

Do not use this to refer to a domestic helper, as that is called 工人 or 姐姐. Using 奴 to describe a person directly can be highly offensive or dehumanizing.