# 綠衣
## Chinese
### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǜyī
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄩˋ ㄧ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): luk$^6$ ji$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǜyī
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄩˋ ㄧ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lyùyi
*** Wade–Giles: lü$^4$-i$^1$
*** Yale: lyù-yī
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: liuhi
*** Palladius: люйи (ljuji)
*** Sinological IPA : /ly⁵¹ i⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: luk$^6$ ji$^1$
*** Yale: luhk yī
*** Cantonese Pinyin: luk$^9$ ji$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lug$^6$ yi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /lʊk̚² jiː⁵⁵/
* This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some! Particularly: “Taishanese”

### Noun

綠衣
* (historical, Hong Kong and overseas Cantonese, including American (–1980), Australia) policeman; (American (–1980) Cantonese) immigration official
       ei$^1$ bi$^1$ si$^1$ di$^1$, daai$^6$ tau$^4$ luk$^6$ ji$^1$, zeoi$^1$ caak$^6$ m$^4$ dou$^{3-2}$, ceoi$^1$ bi$^1$ bi$^1$! [Jyutping]
       A-B-C-D, policeman in a turban; when he can't catch the criminal, he blows his whistle!
** 1861 October 13 (辛酉九月初十日), 帖告, 恩開甯三邑公所
       zik$^1$ giu$^3$ luk$^6$ ji$^1$ zoeng$^1$ can$^4$ mui$^4$ ji$^6$ sing$^3$ jan$^4$ loeng$^5$ go$^3$ zuk$^1$ sung$^3$ ngaa$^4$ mun$^4$ [Jyutping]
       (please add an English translation of this usage example)
** 1907, James Dyer Ball, Cantonese Made Easy‎:
       “caai$^1$ jan$^4$ (caai$^1$ jik$^6$, luk$^6$ ji$^1$) dou$^3$ maa$^5$?” [Jyutping]
       "Has the policeman arrived?"
** 2021, Myron Louie Lee, quoting Hazel Louie Lee, “Portland's Louie Chung (1876–1926)”, in Oregon Historical Quarterly (overall work in English), →DOI:" […] There, on the corner, that's where the luk yee [police] station was!"(please add an English translation of this quotation)
** 1999, Sarah Glasscock, Read-Aloud Plays: Immigration‎ (overall work in English):Once you convince the luk yi that you are my son and they let you into America, then you can go back to being who you really are.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
** 2014, Gregory Jue, quoting Dr. Thomas Wu, “In Search of Ng Ping”, in Chinese America: History and Perspectives‎ (overall work in English):The law at that time was to bar Chinese from coming and if there's any way that they can bar Chinese they would do it. Liver fluke worm is one thing, alleged paper is another thing, and then people talk about luk yee. Well, what is luk yee? Those are the immigration officials that come to arrest Chinese and after the luk yee come, we don't see the Chinese person anymore. That's why we always call, "Luk yee! Luk yee!" It's not because of police department. It's the immigration officials that wears the green garments and come to arrest us. Those are the luk yee … Those are the disclosures we used when we were young.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
* postman
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 警察, 警官, 警員 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 警察, 雷子 argot |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 警察 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 警察 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 警察 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 警察 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 警察 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 警察, 馬打 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 警察, 馬打 dated |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 警察 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tangshan | 警察 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Cangzhou | 民警 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Baoding | 警察 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shijiazhuang | 警察 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 警察 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 警察 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingdao | 警察 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 警察 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 警察 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 警察 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 警察 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 警察 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 警察 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 警察 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 警察 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chongqing | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 警察, 警士 dated, 警士先生 dated face-to-face, 貓菜 dated nickname |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 警察, 警伯 playful |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Binyang (Nanjie) | 警察, 走狗 argot |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine) | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dagudi (Maliba) | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Reshuitang (Longling) | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Salong (Lancang) | 警察 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Sai (Tengchong) | 警察 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 警察 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 警察 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 警察 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 警察 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 警察, 差人, 差佬 male, 老二 dated |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 警察, 差人, 阿Sir male, madam female, 差佬 male, slightly derogatory, 差婆 female, slightly derogatory, 警犬 derogatory, 狗 derogatory, 龜 derogatory, 老更 dated |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 警察 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 阿Sir, 差佬 |
| Cantonese | Qinzhou | 警察, 差佬 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 警察, 公安 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) | 警察, 公安, 差佬 |
| Cantonese | Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) | 警察 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 馬打 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 馬打 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 公安, 綠衣, 警察 |
| Cantonese | Móng Cái | 警察, 公安 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 警察 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 警察 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 警察 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 警察 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 警察 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 警察 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 巡查, 警察 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 警察 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 巡查 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 警察 |
| Huizhou | Shexian | 警察 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 警察 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 警察, 小對子 dated |
| Jin | Linhe | 警察 |
| Jin | Jining | 警察 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 警察 |
| Jin | Zhangjiakou | 警察 |
| Jin | Handan | 警察 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 警察 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 警察 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 警察, 馬打 dated, 烏跤 dated, derogatory |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 警察, 烏跤 dated, derogatory |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 大人 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 巡查 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 大人, 賊頭 GT, derogatory |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 馬打 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 大人 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 馬打 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 馬打, 大狗 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 兵, 警察, 臭兵 derogatory |
| Southern Min | Guilin (Biyange) | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 警察 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 馬打 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 馬打, 大狗, 大狗兄 |
| Southern Min | Batam (Teochew) | 馬打 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 警察 |
| Central Min | Nanping (Wangtai, Yanping) | 警察 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 警察, 差佬 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 警察 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 警察, 黑貓警長, 黑貓, 老貓 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 警察 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 警察 |
| Wu | Danyang | 警察 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 警察, 警察爛眼 derogatory |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 警察 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 警察 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 警察 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 警察 |
| Note | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 郵差, 郵務士 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 郵遞員 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 郵遞員, 送信的, 郵局子 dated |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 郵差 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 送信的, 信差 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tangshan | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Cangzhou | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Baoding | 送信的, 郵差 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shijiazhuang | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingdao | 郵遞員兒, 送信的 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 送信的 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 送信的 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 郵遞員 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 郵遞員, 郵差, 送信的 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 郵遞員 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 投遞員 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chongqing | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 郵遞員 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 郵遞員 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 郵遞員 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 郵遞員, 郵差 dated |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 郵差, 送信的 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 郵遞員, 郵差, 送信的 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 送信的 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 郵遞員 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 郵差, 信差 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 郵差, 信差 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 送信仔個 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 送信仔個 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 送信仔個 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 送信個 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 送信仔 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 送批個 |
| Huizhou | Shexian | 郵遞員, 郵差, 送信唉 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 送信的, 郵差 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 送信的 |
| Jin | Linhe | 郵遞員 |
| Jin | Jining | 送信的 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 郵遞員, 郵差 |
| Jin | Handan | 郵遞員, 送信的 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 郵差 dated |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 郵政差 dated |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 郵差 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 分批的 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 提批的 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 分信員 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 分信員 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 分信員 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 信差 dated |
| Wu | Shanghai | 郵遞員, 郵差 dated |
| Wu | Danyang | 送信格 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 信差, 郵差 dated |

#### Derived terms

* 綠衣使者／绿衣使者 (lǜyī shǐzhě)
* 綠衣房／绿衣房
* 綠衣車／绿衣车
* 綠衣頭／绿衣头
* 綠衣黃裡／绿衣黄里

### References

* Lorraine Dong, Marlon K. Hom (1980) “Chinatown Chinese: The San Francisco Dialect”, in Amerasia‎: “For instance, 綠衣／绿衣 (lǜyī) (CC) luhk-yi is a policeman in America, but to a person from Hong Kong or Taiwan, it would be a postman.”
* Frank Chin (1998) Bulletproof Buddhists and Other Essays‎: “And luk yee for policeman is from Hong Kong because the police there wear green, right?”