si1 sang1 zi2私生子
Jyutpingsi1 sang1 zi2
Yalesī sāng jí
Definition
Illegitimate child; a love child whose parents are not legally married at the time of birth.
neutralpeoplefamily
How it's used
Carries a strong social stigma and is often used in a derogatory or gossipy manner. It is rarely used in polite conversation to describe someone directly, as it is considered highly offensive and insensitive to the person's family background.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
When he was young, people called him an illegitimate child.
Why do you want to make his status as an illegitimate child public?
Related words
Common phrases
status of being an illegitimate child
Common mistake
Avoid using this term to describe someone in their presence, as it is a harsh label that can be perceived as an insult or a personal attack.
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.
