si1 ling6司令
Jyutpingsi1 ling6
Yalesī lihng
Definition
Commanding officer; commander; an official in charge of directing and issuing orders.
neutralworkpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to a high ranking military officer with authority over a unit or region. While it sounds formal and authoritative, it is sometimes used jokingly in casual conversation to refer to a spouse or partner who is perceived as the one in charge at home.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
The commander will come to inspect the barracks today.
Do you know who the commander here is?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a regular soldier or a low ranking officer, as it implies a significant level of command responsibility.
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.
