zung1 san4忠臣
Jyutpingzung1 san4
Yalejūng sàhn
Definition
A loyal and faithful court official.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to the historical archetype of a virtuous official who remains steadfast in duty despite political turmoil or personal risk. While the term is rooted in imperial history, it is often used metaphorically today to describe someone who is exceptionally dedicated to their organization or leader. It carries a heavy, serious tone and is rarely used in casual banter unless making a joke about someone's excessive devotion.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He considers himself a loyal official and would absolutely never betray the country.
Which loyal official in history is the most famous?
Related words
Common phrases
a loyal official of a generation
loyal officials and good generals
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 忠心, which is an adjective describing the quality of loyalty itself. Remember that 忠臣 is a noun referring to the person, whereas 忠心 is the trait they possess.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
