laan6 saang1爛生烂生
Jyutpinglaan6 saang1
Yalelaahn sāang
Definition
Easy to grow; hardy and needing little attention to survive.
colloquialnature
How it's used
Describes plants that thrive with minimal care, often used to reassure someone who lacks a green thumb. It carries a positive connotation of resilience and low maintenance. While it literally combines "rotten" and "life," it has nothing to do with decay, instead highlighting how a plant survives even when neglected.
Examples
This kind of plant is very easy to grow, just leave it on the balcony.
Do you have any easy-to-grow flowers to recommend?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 爛命, which refers to a "cheap life" or someone who is reckless with their own safety. Using 爛生 to describe a person is insulting and implies they are unrefined or low-class.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
