文員
The Cantonese word for clerk is 文員.
文員 is used to describe office-based clerical workers, such as administrative clerks or data entry clerks. For a store clerk or shop assistant, the term 店員 is commonly used in official and formal settings.
Meaning: one working with records etc. (noun)
Did you know?
- In some traditional Cantonese businesses, a senior clerk who manages the books is called a 掌櫃, which literally means 'the one who holds the counter'.
- In Cantonese, the term 店員 for a shop clerk is often replaced in casual speech by 伙計, a word that historically meant 'partner' or 'associate'.
- If you use the word 文 in other contexts, it can mean 'civilian' as opposed to 'military', implying that a 文員 is a 'civilian staff member'.
Examples in context
- 佢係公司嘅文員。keoi5 hai6 gung1 si1 ge3 man4 jyun4.He is a company clerk.
- 我做咗五年文員。ngo5 zou6 zo2 ng5 jin1 man4 jyun4.I worked as a clerk for five years.
- 嗰位文員好勤力。go2 wai2 man4 jyun4 hou2 kan1 lik6.That clerk is very hardworking.
Example conversation
志強 asks 曉彤 about her current job.
- 志強 Chi Keung曉彤，你而家做咩工作？hiu2 tung4, nei5 ji4 gaa1 zou6 me1 gung1 zok3?曉彤, what kind of work are you doing now?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我做緊文員。ngo5 zou6 gan2 man4 jyun4.I am working as a clerk.
- 志強 Chi Keung做文員會唔會好悶？zou6 man4 jyun4 wui5 m4 wui5 hou2 mun6?Will working as a clerk be boring?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung其實都幾有趣。kei4 sat6 dou1 gei2 jau5 ceoi2.Actually, it is quite interesting.
