zai3 pan4濟貧济贫
Jyutpingzai3 pan4
Yalejai pàhn
Definition
To help the poor; to provide relief to the needy.
writtenpeoplemoney
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or literary contexts, this term often appears in discussions regarding government policy or social welfare. It carries a sense of organized, systemic aid rather than simple individual acts of charity. You will frequently encounter it in the idiom 劫富濟貧, which describes a classic trope of folk heroes.
Examples
Does the government have any new policies to help the poor?
Related words
Common phrases
rob from the rich and give to the poor
Common mistake
Avoid using this in everyday casual conversation when talking about helping a friend or neighbor in need, as it sounds overly grand and formal. Use 幫人 or 幫窮人 instead for informal situations.
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.
