zi1 maa4 gun1芝麻官
Jyutpingzi1 maa4 gun1
Yalejī màh gūn
Definition
A low-ranking official; a petty bureaucrat of negligible status or power.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Refers to the tiny size of sesame seeds to describe someone with very little authority or influence. It is often used in a self-deprecating way or to dismiss someone's ability to make significant decisions. While it carries a sense of insignificance, it is not necessarily derogatory in a harsh way.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He is just a low-ranking official, how could he have the power to settle this for you?
Being a low-ranking official may not have much power, but it has the advantage of being stable.
Related words
Common phrases
to be a low-ranking official
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with high-ranking officials or people who hold actual power. It specifically highlights the lack of influence, so using it for a boss or someone in charge would be inaccurate or sarcastic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
