pui3 gok3配角
Jyutpingpui3 gok3
Yalepui gok
Definition
Supporting role or minor role in a play, film, or TV drama.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Beyond the entertainment industry, this term is frequently used metaphorically in daily life to describe someone who feels secondary or less important in a specific situation. It carries a sense of being the background support rather than the center of attention. When someone says they are just a配角 in a project or relationship, they are expressing a lack of agency or prominence.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He always plays supporting roles, but his acting is much better than the lead's.
Who is the actor playing the supporting role in this movie?
Related words
Common phrases
to play a supporting role
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 閒角, which refers to a minor or background character with very few lines or importance. A 配角 typically has a significant role in the plot, whereas a 閒角 is often just an extra.
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.
