ham4 san1 jyu4 fu2含辛茹苦
Jyutpingham4 san1 jyu4 fu2
Yalehàhm sān yùh fú
Definition
To endure all kinds of hardships and sufferings, especially in raising children or surviving adversity.
writtenfamilypeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a heavy, emotional weight often associated with parental sacrifice. It is almost exclusively used to describe the long-term, selfless struggle of raising a family or overcoming extreme adversity over many years. Using it for minor inconveniences or short-term work will sound hyperbolic or sarcastic.
Examples
His mother endured great hardship to raise her children.
Related words
Common phrases
to endure hardship to raise someone
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for working hard, but it specifically implies a deep, often painful, emotional and physical endurance. Avoid using it to describe your own daily work tasks, as it sounds overly dramatic and self-pitying.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
