主儿

Mandarin

simpl.		主儿
trad.		主兒

Noun

主儿 (simplified, Pinyin zhǔr, traditional 主兒)

1. (slang, colloquial) (kind of) person

   他是个不要命的主儿。

   zhè shì gè bùyào mìng de zhǔr

   He's the kind of person who doesn't want to live.

   这是个要脸面的主儿。

   zhè shì gè yào liǎnmiàn de zhǔr

   This guy is obsessed with getting face.

   她是个爱吃的主儿。

   zhè shì gè ài chī de zhǔr

   She's a big eater.

2. (slang, colloquial) owner; master; leader; employer

   谁叫你是我的主儿呢？

   shéi jiào nǐ shì wǒde zhǔr ne

   Who said you were the master of me?

3. (slang, colloquial) boyfriend; husband

   我那主儿没回来呢。

   wǒ nà zhǔr méi huílái ne

   My husband hasn't come back yet.

   她有主儿

   tā yǒu zhǔr

   She's taken.

Usage notes

• This slang expression is particular to northern parts of China, especially Beijing.

References

• 2005, Yu Feng; Zhijie Jia, Jie Cai, Yaohua Shi, Judith M. Amory, Pop Chinese: A Cheng & Tsui Handbook Of Contemporary Colloquial Expressions (Cheng & Tsui Asian Dictionary Series) (话是这么说：中国当代流行语手册) (in English/Chinese), Boston: Cheng & Tsui, ISBN 0-88727-424-2: