syun4 gaa1船家
Jyutpingsyun4 gaa1
Yalesyùhn gā
Definition
Boat people; boat dwellers, or anyone who makes a living operating boats.
colloquialpeopletransport
How it's used
Refers specifically to people whose livelihood depends on operating boats or living on them. While it can describe traditional fishing communities, it is also used for modern operators who provide transport or fishing trips for tourists. It carries a sense of professional identity tied to the water rather than just being a passenger.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
In the past, boat people really liked living in the typhoon shelter.
Do you know where we can find a boatman to take us out to sea?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 船民, which specifically refers to Vietnamese refugees who arrived by boat in Hong Kong during the late 20th century.
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).
