san6 zung1 zeoi1 jyun5慎終追遠慎终追远
Definition
To carefully attend to the funeral rites of one's parents and to sincerely revere and remember one's ancestors.
How it's used
This idiom originates from the Analects and carries a formal, moral weight that goes beyond simple ritual. It is typically used in contexts involving ancestral worship, family values, or traditional cultural practices. While it describes a serious duty, it is often invoked to highlight the importance of maintaining family continuity and respect for one's roots.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple verb phrase, but it is a formal idiom that sounds out of place in casual, everyday conversation about mundane tasks. Avoid using it to describe routine chores or minor family obligations, as it is reserved for significant acts of remembrance.
Grammar color guide
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.
