saang1 ji4 juk6 neoi5生兒育女生儿育女
Jyutpingsaang1 ji4 juk6 neoi5
Yalesāang yìh yuhk néuih
Definition
To give birth to and raise children.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a formal and slightly traditional weight, often used when discussing life stages or family planning in a serious tone. While it literally mentions sons and daughters, it is gender-neutral in application. It emphasizes the entire process of parenting rather than just the act of childbirth.
Examples
After they got married, they soon planned to have and raise children.
When do you plan to have and raise children?
Related words
Common phrases
prepare to have and raise children
Common mistake
Do not use this in casual conversation about just having a baby, as it sounds overly literary or heavy. For everyday speech, simply saying 生仔 or 生小朋友 is much more natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
