taa1 jan4他人
Jyutpingtaa1 jan4
Yaletā yàhn
Definition
Other people; others.
neutralpeople
How it's used
While 他人 exists in written Chinese, it is rarely used in spoken Cantonese. Native speakers almost exclusively use 人哋 to refer to other people in daily conversation. Using 他人 in casual speech can sound overly formal, academic, or even like a direct translation from written text.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 他人 because they see it in textbooks, but it sounds unnatural in casual settings. Stick to 人哋 for everyday communication to sound more authentic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
