neoi5 daai6 bat1 zung1 lau4女大不中留

Jyutpingneoi5 daai6 bat1 zung1 lau4

Yalenéuih daaih bāt jūng làuh

Definition

Once a daughter grows up, she must be married off and cannot be kept in her maternal home.

colloquialfamilypeople

How it's used

This idiom carries a traditional, slightly patriarchal tone reflecting old social norms where a daughter's primary role was to marry into another family. Nowadays, it is often used in a lighthearted or resigned way by parents who realize their child is becoming independent and moving out. It is rarely used in a serious or literal sense in modern urban settings.

Examples

neoi2女daai6大bat1不zung1中lau4留，hai6係si4時hau6候jiu3要wan2搵go3個hou2好jan4人gaa1家gaa3嫁laa3喇。

A daughter grown up should marry; it is time to find a good family for her.

nei5你go3個neoi2女dou1都daai6大go3個laa1喇，zan1真hai6係neoi5女daai6大bat1不zung1中lau4留aa1呀。

Your daughter is all grown up now; it really is true that daughters should marry and leave home.

Common phrases

zan1真hai6係neoi2女daai6大bat1不zung1中lau4留

it really is true that daughters grow up and leave

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe a son, as it is strictly reserved for daughters. It is also not a neutral observation of age, but specifically implies the necessity of marriage or moving away from the parental home.