sing4 nin4成年
Jyutpingsing4 nin4
Yalesìhng nìhn
Definition
To come of age, grow up, or become a legal adult.
neutralpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Beyond the legal definition of reaching eighteen, this term is frequently used in a metaphorical sense to describe someone who needs to act more maturely or take responsibility for their own actions. It carries a sense of expectation that a person should no longer rely on their parents for guidance or support. While it functions as a verb, it is very commonly used as an adjective to describe someone's status.
Examples
He just came of age this year and can take his driving test now.
When will you finally grow up and stop acting like a child?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 大個, which is a much more common and casual way to say someone has grown up or is older. Using 成年 in casual conversation can sound slightly formal or legalistic, whereas 大個 is the natural choice for everyday speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
