saang1 lou6生路
Jyutpingsaang1 lou6
Yalesāang louh
Definition
A safe passage to escape, or figuratively, the space or opportunity to earn a living.
- a safe path or passage to escape
- figurativea way or opportunity to earn a living
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Often used in desperate situations, this term highlights the lack of options for survival or livelihood. It carries a heavy, dramatic tone, frequently appearing in contexts involving intense pressure or being backed into a corner. When referring to making a living, it implies that one's current path is blocked and a new direction is desperately needed.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
They pushed me into a corner with no way out, it is really too much.
This industry is so hard to work in, is there still any way to make a living?
Related words
Common phrases
leave someone a way out
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a literal path or road, as it is almost exclusively used in a figurative sense to mean a way out of a predicament or a means of survival.
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.
