jat1 sai3 jing1 ming4一世英名
Jyutpingjat1 sai3 jing1 ming4
Yaleyāt sai yīng mìhng
Definition
One's lifetime reputation and fame; a lifetime of glory.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This phrase is almost exclusively used in negative contexts, typically when someone has done something shameful or foolish that destroys a long-standing positive reputation. It carries a sense of dramatic irony or regret, often appearing in discussions about public figures or people who have fallen from grace.
Examples
He ruined his lifelong reputation for money, it's really not worth it.
Don't do such stupid things and end up ruining your lifelong reputation.
Related words
Common phrases
to have one's lifelong reputation completely destroyed
to ruin one's lifelong reputation
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a neutral way to describe someone famous, but it is specifically reserved for the moment that reputation is lost or threatened.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
