saam1 seoi1 luk6 wong6三衰六旺
Jyutpingsaam1 seoi1 luk6 wong6
Yalesāam sēui luhk wohng
Definition
The ups and downs of life; one's changing fortunes of good and bad luck.
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How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to comfort someone going through a rough patch by reminding them that luck is cyclical. It carries a sense of fatalistic wisdom, suggesting that hardship is an inevitable part of the human experience rather than a permanent state. While the literal components refer to specific types of prosperity and decline, the phrase is almost exclusively used in a general sense to describe the fluctuating nature of life.
Examples
Life is full of ups and downs, no need to take it too hard.
Common phrases
the ups and downs of life
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
