cai1 lei4 zi2 saan3妻離子散妻离子散

Jyutpingcai1 lei4 zi2 saan3

Yalechāi lèih jí saan

語句

Definition

To have one's family torn apart and separated, with the wife leaving and children dispersing.

writtenfamilypeople

How it's used

This idiom carries a heavy, tragic tone, typically used to describe the absolute worst-case scenario for a family unit. It is often invoked in contexts of extreme hardship, such as war, severe economic ruin, or destructive addictions like gambling. Unlike simpler terms for divorce or separation, this phrase emphasizes the total collapse and scattering of family members.

Examples

keoi5佢dou2賭cin2錢dou2賭dou3到cai1妻lei4離zi2子saan3散，zan1真hai6係hou2好caam2慘。

He gambled until his family was torn apart, it is truly pathetic.

daa2打zoeng3仗gaau2搞dou3到jan4人dei6哋cai1妻lei4離zi2子saan3散，bin1邊go3個soeng2想gin3見dou3到？

War causes people to lose their families and scatter, who would want to see that?

Common phrases

dou6導zi3致cai1妻lei4離zi2子saan3散

lead to the dissolution of a family

gaau2搞dou3到cai1妻lei4離zi2子saan3散

cause one's family to be torn apart

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple term for divorce, but it is much stronger and implies a sense of catastrophe or forced separation rather than a legal or mutual decision.