ceoi4 noeng4 bun3 lou5徐娘半老
Jyutpingceoi4 noeng4 bun3 lou5
Yalechèuih nèuhng bun lóuh
Definition
An idiom used to describe middle-aged women who are still physically attractive.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom originates from a historical story about a woman named Xu who remained beautiful well into her middle years. It carries a specific nuance of mature, seasoned beauty rather than just being a neutral description of age. While it is meant to be a compliment, it is best used with care as it explicitly highlights the person's age.
Examples
Although she is a middle-aged woman, she still has a lot of charm.
Who says middle-aged women aren't attractive anymore?
Common phrases
a middle-aged woman who still retains her charm
Common mistake
Avoid using this term to describe a young woman, as it specifically refers to someone in their middle years. It is also considered slightly old-fashioned or literary, so it might sound out of place in very casual, modern slang contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
