sim6 joeng5 fai3贍養費赡养费
Jyutpingsim6 joeng5 fai3
Yalesihm yéuhng fai
Definition
Alimony; maintenance paid to an ex-spouse after a divorce.
neutralmoneyfamily
How it's used
This term is strictly used in legal or formal contexts regarding divorce settlements. It refers specifically to the financial support provided to a former spouse, rather than child support, which is typically referred to as 撫養費. Using it in casual conversation about general living expenses would sound highly unnatural and overly formal.
Measure word
bat1筆bātExamples
After the divorce, he has to pay alimony every month.
Do you know how much alimony his ex-wife got?
Related words
Common phrases
to pay alimony
a large amount of alimony
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 撫養費, which is for the maintenance of children. Ensure you use 贍養費 only when referring to payments between former spouses.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
