san1 sai3身世
Jyutpingsan1 sai3
Yalesān sai
Definition
One's personal background, origins, or life experiences.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the history of a person's origins or the hardships they have endured throughout their life. It often carries a heavy, dramatic, or sympathetic undertone, frequently appearing in stories or when discussing someone's unfortunate past. It is rarely used to describe a simple professional resume or a standard biography.
Examples
Their background is very sad; they lost their family when they were very young.
Do you know what their personal background is like?
Related words
Common phrases
to have a pitiful life background
to have a wandering and unstable life
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a professional background or work history, as those are better expressed as 背景 or 履歷. Using this word for a job application would sound overly dramatic and inappropriate.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
