zoeng2 gwai2掌櫃掌柜
Jyutpingzoeng2 gwai2
Yalejéung gwái
Definition
Shopkeeper, manager, or cashier in a traditional business.
- shopkeeper; manager of a traditional business
- cashier
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Originally referring to the manager or owner of a traditional Chinese shop, this term is now used in a more lighthearted or slightly old fashioned way to refer to a cashier. Using it in a modern, high end retail environment might sound ironic or humorous. It carries a sense of familiarity that standard terms like 收銀員 lack.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
The cashier of this shop doesn't seem to be here.
Why don't you ask the cashier if they accept credit cards?
Related words
Common phrases
the cashier's
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to a cashier in a modern supermarket or bank, as it will sound like you are making a joke about the shop being an old fashioned establishment.
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.
