mau4 sang1謀生谋生
Jyutpingmau4 sang1
Yalemàuh sāng
Definition
To make a living; to earn money to support oneself.
neutralworkmoney
How it's used
This term carries a slightly formal or serious tone compared to everyday expressions like 搵食. It is often used when discussing someone's profession or career path in a more reflective or descriptive manner. While 搵食 is extremely common in casual conversation, 謀生 is better suited for written contexts or when speaking about the general struggle of survival.
Examples
He makes a living by teaching piano, his life is quite stable.
How do you plan to make a living?
Related words
Common phrases
to struggle to make a living
to make a living by one's craft
Common mistake
Avoid using 謀生 in very casual, lighthearted contexts where 搵食 would be more natural. Using it to describe a simple part-time job can sound overly dramatic or stiff.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
