jat1 sang1 jan4一生人
Jyutpingjat1 sang1 jan4
Yaleyāt sāng yàhn
Definition
A lifetime; all of one's life.
colloquialtimepeople
How it's used
Focuses on the subjective experience of a person's entire lifespan rather than just the chronological duration. It is frequently used to emphasize the uniqueness or rarity of an event, often appearing in contexts of personal milestones or strong emotional memories.
Examples
This restaurant is my all-time favorite.
Have you ever done something like this in your life?
Related words
Common phrases
once in a lifetime
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the formal term 一輩子, which is less common in spoken Cantonese. Using 一生人 to describe a historical period or a long era is incorrect, as it specifically refers to an individual's personal life experience.
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.
