ceot1 gaa1出家
Jyutpingceot1 gaa1
Yalechēut gā
Definition
To leave family life to fully devote oneself to spiritual practice, such as becoming a monk or a nun.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the act of renouncing worldly life and family ties to pursue a religious or spiritual path. While most commonly associated with Buddhism, the term carries a sense of finality and serious commitment to a life of asceticism or service. It is rarely used in a casual or metaphorical sense to describe simply moving out of one's parents' house.
Examples
After his breakup, he actually thought about becoming a monk.
Are you really sure you have decided to leave home and devote yourself to spiritual practice?
Related words
Common phrases
to leave home to pursue spiritual practice
determined to renounce worldly life
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply moving out of the family home, which is expressed as 搬出去住. Using 出家 to describe moving out is highly inappropriate and sounds like you are joining a monastery.
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.
