nou4 coi4奴才
Jyutpingnou4 coi4
Yalenòuh chòih
Definition
A servant, lackey, or flunkey who performs low status labor or acts subserviently.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Originally referring to servants in the Qing dynasty imperial court, the term now carries a strong sense of self-degradation or sycophancy. Using this to describe someone implies they are sacrificing their dignity to please a superior. It is often used in modern workplace contexts to mock someone who is overly subservient to their boss.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He acts like a servant all the time, buying coffee for the boss.
Why do you have to act like a lackey towards him?
Related words
Common phrases
to act like a lackey
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a professional assistant or employee, as it is highly insulting and implies the person has no self-respect. It is strictly a derogatory label for someone acting like a bootlicker.
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.
