san1 jan4新人
Jyutpingsan1 jan4
Yalesān yàhn
Definition
Newcomer or freshman, or newlyweds at a wedding.
- newcomer; freshman; new member of a field or organization
- newlyweds; bride and groom
colloquialpeoplefamily
How it's used
Distinguish clearly between the two distinct meanings of this term: a novice in a professional or social setting, and a couple who has just gotten married. In a wedding context, it is almost exclusively used with the measure word 對 to refer to the pair as a unit. When referring to a workplace newcomer, it carries a sense of inexperience that often implies they should be treated with patience.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He is a newcomer to the company, please give him some guidance.
The bride and groom at today's wedding look great together, they are a perfect match.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 新手, which specifically emphasizes a lack of skill or experience in a task rather than just being new to a group or organization.
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.
