pou2 lo4普羅普罗
Jyutpingpou2 lo4
Yalepóu lòh
Definition
Proletariat or working-class people.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Originating from the transliteration of the English term proletariat, this word has evolved in local usage to function more broadly as a synonym for ordinary people or the general public. It carries a slightly intellectual or sociological undertone compared to more common terms like 街坊 or 市民. You will rarely hear it used in casual conversation to describe specific individuals, as it is almost exclusively reserved for collective references.
Examples
This policy is designed for the common people.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 普遍, which means universal or widespread. While they share the first character, they are entirely different in meaning and grammatical function.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
