joeng5 wut6養活养活
Jyutpingjoeng5 wut6
Yaleyéuhng wuht
Definition
To support, feed, or provide for a person or family.
colloquialfamilymoney
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the financial burden of providing for others, rather than just the act of raising a child. It carries a sense of duty and the heavy responsibility of being the primary breadwinner. While it can apply to children, it is most frequently used when discussing the struggle of supporting elderly parents or a spouse.
Examples
He works two jobs just to support the whole family.
Do you think you are able to support your family now?
Related words
Common phrases
to support one's family
to struggle to support
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 養, which is a broader term for raising pets or children. 養活 specifically implies the economic necessity of keeping someone alive through financial provision.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
