pan4 man4貧民贫民
Jyutpingpan4 man4
Yalepàhn màhn
Definition
Poor or impoverished people; those living in poverty.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to people living in a state of poverty, often carrying a slightly formal or sociological tone. It is rarely used to address someone directly, as it can sound condescending or detached. Instead, speakers often use descriptive phrases like 窮人 or 冇錢嘅人 in casual conversation.
Examples
The government should care more about the lives of the poor.
That place used to be where poor people lived.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe an individual in a face-to-face conversation, as it sounds like a clinical label rather than a respectful term. Use 窮人 for a more direct, albeit blunt, reference to someone's financial status.
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.
