dyun6 kung4 gan1斷窮根断穷根
Jyutpingdyun6 kung4 gan1
Yaledyuhn kùhng gān
Definition
To escape poverty completely; to eradicate the root causes of poverty.
colloquialmoneypeople
How it's used
Carries a sense of finality and desperation, implying that poverty is a deep-seated, persistent issue that requires a radical solution to uproot. It is often used in discussions about social mobility or the struggles of working-class families trying to change their destiny. The imagery of a root suggests that poverty is a plant that will keep growing back unless it is completely removed.
Examples
He works hard because he wants to escape poverty.
Do you really think doing business can help you escape poverty?
Related words
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
