soeng5 zan6 bat1 lei4 fu6 zi2 bing1上陣不離父子兵上阵不离父子兵
Jyutpingsoeng5 zan6 bat1 lei4 fu6 zi2 bing1
Yaleséuhng jahn bāt lèih fuh jí bīng
Definition
A father and son fighting or working together against adversity.
colloquialfamilywork
How it's used
This idiom is used to praise the strong bond and mutual trust between a father and son when working together towards a common goal. It implies that family members are the most reliable partners because their interests are naturally aligned. While it literally refers to war, it is almost exclusively used today in the context of family businesses or collaborative projects.
Examples
The father and son opened a shop together; they really show that family works best as a team.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe just any two people working together, as it specifically highlights the biological or familial bond between a father and his son. Using it for unrelated colleagues or friends would sound confusing or incorrect.
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.
