bat1 waak6 zi1 nin4不惑之年
Jyutpingbat1 waak6 zi1 nin4
Yalebāt waahk jī nìhn
Definition
The age of forty; the years where one is mature, wise, and no longer easily confused.
writtenpeopletime
How it's used
This phrase originates from the Analects of Confucius and carries a literary, formal tone that is rarely used in casual, everyday speech. It is mostly encountered in written media, speeches, or when someone is reflecting on their life milestones. Using it in a standard conversation might sound overly dramatic or pretentious.
Examples
He is forty years old this year, officially entering the age of no confusion.
When one reaches the age of forty, one should act more steadily.
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common slang term, but it is a formal idiom. Avoid using it to describe someone's age in a casual setting, as it sounds like you are quoting a classical text rather than speaking naturally.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
