syu4 zai2薯仔
Jyutpingsyu4 zai2
Yalesyùh jái
Definition
Potato, or a nobody of little importance.
- potato
- slangsmall fry; small potato; a nobody
colloquialfoodpeople
How it's used
Beyond the literal meaning of the vegetable, this term is widely used in office culture to describe a low-ranking employee or a person with little influence. It carries a sense of self-deprecating humor when someone refers to themselves as a 薯仔 to emphasize their lack of power in a hierarchy. While it sounds cute, it is strictly informal and should be avoided in formal business correspondence.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Shall we cook potato curry tonight?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 馬鈴薯, which is the standard term used in Mandarin and formal written Chinese. While people in Hong Kong will understand 馬鈴薯, it sounds unnatural and overly formal in daily spoken Cantonese.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
