siu2 si5 man4小市民
Jyutpingsiu2 si5 man4
Yalesíu síh màhn
Definition
Ordinary, average citizens or common people.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
This term carries a sense of humility and often implies a feeling of powerlessness against larger social or economic forces. It is frequently used in news commentary or casual political discussions to contrast the perspective of common people with that of the government or wealthy elite. Using it emphasizes the speaker's identity as someone who is just trying to get by in the city.
Examples
For us ordinary citizens, the most important thing is a stable life.
Prices are rising again, how are ordinary citizens supposed to survive?
Related words
Common phrases
the voice of the ordinary citizens
grassroots ordinary citizens
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.
