"plumber"

[tooironic]

Isn't it funny how every now and then you come across a word in English which seems to simple and straight forward - take "plumber" for example - but which in Chinese can be expressed in ten different ways!

• 铜工
  
• 管工
  
• 铅管工
  
• 管子工
  
• 水暖工
  
• 水管工
  
• 管道工
  
• 水暖工人
  
• 水管工人
  
• 管道工人
  

Can someone please clarify for me which one(s) is most commonly used and if there are any differences between them? Cheers.

[trien27]

Plumber is a one size fits all in English. In Chinese, it's got to be more specific:

* 铜工 = someone who works with copper.

* 管工 / 管子工= someone who works with the pipes

* 铅管工 = someone who works with lead pipes

* 冷暖工 / 冷暖工人 = someone who works with air conditioning & heating

* 水管工 / 水管工人= someone who works with water pipes

* 管道工 / 管道工人 = someone who works with drains / sewers

So, there's really only 6 ways of saying plumber, not 10 because some of the terms you've posted are the same.

[doraemon]

I think 管道工 is used the most...At least it's the one I use when I say "plumber" in Chinese.

[skylee]

I would use 水喉匠, which is used in the HK law Cap 102A -> http://www.legislation.gov.hk/eng/home.htm

(but I prefer this term even without the legal reference)

[tooironic]

But that would be the one to use in the HK only right? How about mainland?

Yet another synonym to add to the list!