jau5 sang1 zi1 nin4有生之年

Jyutpingjau5 sang1 zi1 nin4

Yaleyáuh sāng jī nìhn

名詞

Definition

One's remaining years; the rest of one's lifetime.

neutraltimepeople

How it's used

Often used in a slightly dramatic or wistful tone when discussing long term goals or unlikely events. It carries a sense of finality, emphasizing the limited time one has left on earth. It is frequently paired with verbs like 見到 or 做到 to express a strong personal desire to witness something before passing away.

Examples

ngo5我jau5有sang1生zi1之nin4年dou1都soeng2想heoi3去jat1一ci3次naam4南gik6極。

I want to visit Antarctica at least once in my lifetime.

nei5你gok3覺dak1得ngo5我jau5有sang1生zi1之nin4年gin3見m4唔gin3見dou3到keoi5佢git3結fan1婚aa4呀？

Do you think I'll live to see them get married?

Common phrases

jau5有sang1生zi1之nin4年gin3見dou2到

to live to see

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 一世 which simply means a whole lifetime. 有生之年 specifically highlights the remaining portion of one's life, making it more focused on the future rather than the duration of the past.