sau2 nou5首腦首脑
Jyutpingsau2 nou5
Yalesáu nóuh
Definition
A leader, head, or person in charge of an organization, group, or operation.
neutralpeoplework
How it's used
Refers specifically to the person at the very top of a hierarchy, often implying a position of significant power or authority. It is frequently used in news reports or formal contexts to describe heads of states, criminal syndicates, or major political movements. Unlike more generic terms for leaders, it carries a sense of strategic control and ultimate responsibility.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
The leader of that organization was finally arrested.
Do you know who the leader of this operation is?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a simple team leader or a project manager, as it sounds overly dramatic or conspiratorial in those contexts. It is best reserved for high level figures or the masterminds behind a specific scheme.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
