sin3 jan4線人线人
Jyutpingsin3 jan4
Yalesin yàhn
Definition
An informant, spy, or mole sent to gather intelligence.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Often associated with crime dramas and police procedural films, this term carries a slightly clandestine or gritty tone. It specifically refers to someone acting as a source of intelligence from within a group, rather than a general spy or secret agent. It is rarely used to describe someone working for a government intelligence agency in a formal capacity.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
The police received news from an informer that there is an operation tonight.
How do you know he is a mole?
Related words
Common phrases
intelligence from an informer
to bribe an informer
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 間諜, which is a more formal or literary term for a professional spy or secret agent. Using 線人 in a formal or professional context might sound like you are referring to a criminal underworld informant.
Grammar color guide
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Classifier
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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.
