老細

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

老細

1. (Cantonese) boss; manager
   • 1951 May 6, 《工商晚報》 ‎:

     胡塗雪糕敬老細　小沈辭函沉海底
     胡涂雪糕敬老细　小沈辞函沉海底

     wu⁴ tou⁴ syut³ gou¹ ging³ lou⁵ sai³, siu² sam² ci⁴ haam⁴ cam⁴ hoi² dai²

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 1952 June 30, “由巴士足球隊談到「老細」制度”, in 《大公報》 ‎:

     但是這個問題能否獲得通過巴士的「老細」的考慮，這是值得注意的。
     但是这个问题能否获得通过巴士的「老细」的考虑，这是值得注意的。

     daan⁶ si⁶ ze² go³ man⁶ tai⁴ nang⁴ fau² wok⁶ dak¹ tung¹ gwo³ baa¹ si^6-2 dik¹ “lou⁵ sai³” dik¹ haau² leoi⁶, ze² si⁶ zik⁶ dak¹ zyu³ ji³ dik¹.

     But whether this problem can be considered by the "boss" of the KMB Football Team is worth paying attention to.

   • 2002 December 12, Alan Mak, Felix Chong, 無間道 , spoken by 陳永仁 (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), Media Asia Entertainment Group, Basic Pictures:

     三年之後又三年，三年之後又三年，十年都嚟緊頭喇老細！
     三年之后又三年，三年之后又三年，十年都嚟紧头喇老细！

     saam¹ nin⁴ zi¹ hau⁶ jau⁶ saam¹ nin⁴, saam¹ nin⁴ zi¹ hau⁶ jau⁶ saam¹ nin⁴, sap⁶ nin⁴ dou¹ lei⁴ gan² tau^4-2 laa³ lou⁵ sai³!

     Three years after three years, and then another three years passed. The 10th year is coming soon, chief!

2. (Cantonese) term of address for a customer

老細

1. (Southern Min) A term used to refer to a familiar younger than the speaker.

• 小川尚義 (OGAWA Naoyoshi), editor (1931–1932), “老細”, in 臺日大辭典 ‎, volume 2 (overall work in Hokkien and Japanese), Taihoku: Government-General of Taiwan, →OCLC, page 939