cung4 san1 zou6 jan4重新做人
Jyutpingcung4 san1 zou6 jan4
Yalechùhng sān jouh yàhn
Definition
To turn over a new leaf; to start life anew and reform one's bad ways.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
This phrase carries a heavy moral weight and is typically reserved for someone who has committed serious mistakes or lived a life of crime. It implies a complete break from a past identity rather than just a minor change in habits. Using it for trivial matters like changing a diet or a hobby sounds overly dramatic and unnatural.
Examples
After he got out of prison, he decided to turn over a new leaf.
You are still so young, why can't you start over and change your ways?
Related words
Common phrases
determined to turn over a new leaf
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe simple self-improvement like starting a new job or learning a language. It specifically refers to moral rehabilitation or a total life transformation after a significant failure.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
