syun4 man4船民
Jyutpingsyun4 man4
Yalesyùhn màhn
Definition
People who live and make a living on boats.
neutralpeopleplaces
How it's used
Refers specifically to traditional water-dwelling communities who spent their entire lives on vessels, rather than just people who travel by boat. It carries a historical nuance, as the lifestyle has largely vanished in modern Hong Kong due to urbanization and government resettlement programs. It is distinct from the term 難民, which was used during the late 1970s to describe Vietnamese refugees arriving by sea.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
In the past, Hong Kong had many boat dwellers living in typhoon shelters.
Do you know where there are still boat dwellers living?
Related words
Common phrases
boat dweller lifestyle
typhoon shelter boat dwellers
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 難民, as the latter specifically refers to political refugees, whereas 船民 describes a socio-economic lifestyle.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
