saang1 cyun4 hung1 gaan1生存空間生存空间
Jyutpingsaang1 cyun4 hung1 gaan1
Yalesāang chyùhn hūng gāan
Definition
Chance to survive; living space or room for survival.
neutralworkpeople
How it's used
Refers to the metaphorical or literal room needed for an entity to persist or thrive. It is frequently used in discussions about small businesses struggling against large corporations or individuals facing intense competition. The term carries a sense of being squeezed or pressured by external forces.
Examples
This shop is so small that it has absolutely no room to survive.
Do you think they still have any chance to survive?
Common phrases
to squeeze the room for survival
to fight for a chance to survive
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe physical space in a room or building, as that is better expressed by 空間 or 位. It is strictly for abstract or existential survival contexts.
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.
