si1 je4師爺师爷
Jyutpingsi1 je4
Yalesī yèh
Definition
An administrative advisor in imperial China, or a modern legal assistant or paralegal.
- a legal assistant or paralegal who does not hold a lawyer's license
- historicalan administrative assistant hired by local officials in imperial China
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
Historically, these individuals were private secretaries or advisors hired by officials to manage complex administrative and legal tasks. In contemporary Hong Kong, the term refers to experienced legal clerks or paralegals who possess deep practical knowledge of court procedures but lack formal solicitor qualifications. It carries a nuance of being highly experienced in the 'tricks of the trade' without the official status of a lawyer.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
You should find a legal advisor to help you look over the documents for this lawsuit.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with a qualified lawyer, as calling a solicitor a 師爺 can be seen as insulting or unprofessional. It specifically highlights the lack of a formal license to practice law.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
