cyun3 cou2 ceon1 fai1寸草春暉寸草春晖
Jyutpingcyun3 cou2 ceon1 fai1
Yalechyun chóu chēun fāi
Definition
A child's gratitude is insufficient to repay the immense love of their parents.
writtenfamilypeople
How it's used
This idiom is a literary expression used to describe the profound, selfless love of a mother and the impossibility of a child ever fully reciprocating it. It is frequently invoked during formal speeches, essays, or heartfelt tributes to parents. Because it is a classical idiom, it carries a high register and is rarely used in casual, everyday banter.
Examples
The grace of parents' upbringing is truly impossible to fully repay.
How can one ever repay the immense love of one's parents?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common adjective or a simple verb phrase, but it is a fixed four-character idiom that functions as a noun phrase representing a concept. It should not be used to describe small acts of kindness or general gratitude between friends.
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.
