sing4 soeng3丞相
Jyutpingsing4 soeng3
Yalesìhng seung
Definition
Chancellor or prime minister; the head of civil officials in ancient China.
neutralpeople
How it's used
This term is strictly reserved for historical contexts or period dramas. It carries a sense of gravity and authority associated with imperial courts, making it sound out of place if used to describe modern government officials. In casual conversation, it is sometimes used jokingly to refer to someone who acts overly important or bureaucratic.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He plays the prime minister in the movie.
Related words
Common phrases
prime minister's office or residence
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to refer to modern prime ministers or heads of government, which is incorrect. Use 總理 or 首相 for contemporary political roles instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
