tung4 zi3同志
Jyutpingtung4 zi3
Yaletùhng ji
Definition
A comrade, sharing the same political spirit or ambition; a title used for fellow party members.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Historically, this term carries a strong political weight, often referring to members of the same political party or movement. While it is a standard way to address fellow party members in mainland China, its usage in Hong Kong is much more restricted to formal, historical, or specific political contexts. Using it casually to address a stranger in Hong Kong would sound unnatural or overly performative.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
They are revolutionary comrades who have been through many storms together.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the modern slang usage of 同志 in Mandarin, which refers to members of the LGBTQ+ community. In Hong Kong Cantonese, this term is almost exclusively understood in its original political or ideological sense.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
