菜鳥

See also: 菜鸟

Chinese

		(dialectal) bad; inferior; useless (dialectal) bad; inferior; useless; stupid	bird
trad. (菜鳥)		菜	鳥
simp. (菜鸟)		菜	鸟

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Is it from Hokkien?”)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): càiniǎo

  (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˋ ㄋㄧㄠˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): coi³ niu⁵
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chhài-chiáu

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: càiniǎo
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˋ ㄋㄧㄠˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: càiniǎo
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻai⁴-niao³
    • Yale: tsài-nyǎu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsayneau
    • Palladius: цайняо (cajnjao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: càiniǎor
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˋ ㄋㄧㄠˇㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: càiniǎor
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻai⁴-niao³-ʼrh
    • Yale: tsài-nyǎur
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsayneaul
    • Palladius: цайняор (cajnjaor)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaɪ̯⁵¹ ni̯aʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: coi³ niu⁵
    • Yale: choi níuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi³ niu⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: coi³ niu⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɔːi̯³³ niːu̯¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhài-chiáu
    • Tâi-lô: tshài-tsiáu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhaeciao
    • IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰai²¹⁻⁵³ t͡siau⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰai⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡siau⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰai²¹⁻⁵³ t͡siau⁵³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰai¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡siau⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰai²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡siau⁴¹/

Noun

菜鳥

1. (informal) newbie; novice; beginner; rookie

Synonyms

• 新手 (xīnshǒu)

Derived terms

• 菜鳥仔 / 菜鸟仔