bun3 sai3 jan4半世人
Jyutpingbun3 sai3 jan4
Yalebun sai yàhn
Definition
Half of a lifetime; half of one's life.
colloquialpeopletime
How it's used
Emphasizes the passage of time and the accumulation of life experience, often used to express disbelief or to scold someone for being immature despite their age. It carries a slightly dramatic or weary tone, suggesting that the speaker has seen enough to form a firm opinion. It is rarely used in a literal mathematical sense and instead functions as an idiomatic way to say middle-aged or experienced.
Examples
I have lived half my life and have never seen such an outrageous thing.
You are already half a lifetime old, do you still need others to take care of you?
Related words
Common phrases
lived for half a lifetime
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a literal duration of time in a scientific or precise context, as it is strictly an idiomatic expression for life experience. It is also considered rude or condescending if used to address someone younger, as it implies they lack the maturity that comes with age.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
