zoi2 soeng3宰相
Jyutpingzoi2 soeng3
Yalejói seung
Definition
Prime minister; chancellor; the unofficial general term for the highest-ranking civil official in ancient China.
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How it's used
While historically referring to specific high-ranking officials in imperial China, this term is frequently used in modern Cantonese as a metaphor for someone who acts overly authoritative or meddlesome. It carries a slightly sarcastic tone when applied to contemporary situations, implying the person is overstepping their bounds or acting like a self-important bureaucrat.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He was a prime minister in the past and had a lot of power.
Do you think you are the prime minister? You love bossing people around so much.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with modern political titles like 總理 or 首相, as 宰相 is strictly reserved for historical contexts or metaphorical usage.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
