san1 zaat3新紮
Jyutpingsan1 zaat3
Yalesān jaat
Definition
Newly promoted, or newly appointed to a position.
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
Originally a term from the police force referring to officers who had just completed their training, it has expanded to describe anyone who is fresh in a professional role. It carries a nuance of being inexperienced or green, often implying that the person still has much to learn despite their new title. You will frequently hear it used in media to describe young, promising talent in various fields.
Examples
He is a rookie police officer, he is not yet experienced.
As a newly promoted manager, do you feel a lot of pressure?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply new to a company or a city. It specifically implies a promotion or a new appointment to a position of responsibility.
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.
