tiu4 zam1條針条针
Jyutpingtiu4 zam1
Yaletìuh jām
Definition
A source or police informer.
colloquialpeopleslang
How it's used
Refers specifically to an informant or a mole within an organization or group. It carries a slightly conspiratorial or secretive tone, often used when discussing how information leaked or how someone gained an advantage. It is distinct from a formal witness or official source.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He works over there, he probably has an inside source.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal needle, which is also 針. The classifier 條 is essential here to distinguish the person acting as an informant from the physical object.
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.
