zyu1 caai4朱柴
Jyutpingzyu1 caai4
Yalejyū chàaih
Definition
Senior police constable, an officer whose rank insignia features a single stripe.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Originating from police slang, this term uses the character 朱 to represent the number one, which corresponds to the single chevron worn by a senior police constable. It is a specific piece of occupational jargon that reflects the historical way officers referred to ranks by their insignia. While widely understood in local culture, it is strictly informal and should not be used in official or professional settings.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
That senior police constable is very young.
Do you have to salute when you see a senior police constable?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with actual animal references, as the term is purely a code for the rank insignia. Using it in front of a police officer might be seen as disrespectful or overly familiar.
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.
