zuk1 sing1 zai2竹升仔

Jyutpingzuk1 sing1 zai2

Yalejūk sīng jái

名詞

Definition

A young Chinese boy or man born and raised overseas.

colloquialpeople

How it's used

Originally derived from the hollow structure of a bamboo pole, the term implies that the person is culturally hollow or disconnected from traditional Chinese heritage. While it specifically refers to males, it is often used loosely to describe anyone of Chinese descent raised in Western countries. The term is generally descriptive but can carry a slightly mocking or condescending tone depending on the speaker's intent.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

keoi5佢hai6係zuk1竹sing1升zai2仔，gwong2廣dung1東waa2話gong2講dak1得m4唔hai6係hou2好zeng3正。

He is a banana (ABC), his Cantonese is not very standard.

nei5你hai6係zuk1竹sing1升zai2仔lai2嚟㗎，gaa2點dim2解gaai2咁gam3鍾zung1意ji3飲jam2茶caa4呀？

You are a banana (ABC), why do you like dim sum so much?

Common phrases

din2典jing4型zuk1竹sing1升zai2仔

typical ABC

Common mistake

Do not use this term to refer to someone who simply moved abroad as an adult, as it specifically implies being born or raised in a Western environment from a young age.