zi3 cing1知青
Jyutpingzi3 cing1
Yaleji chīng
Definition
Educated youth; young people from urban areas sent to live and work in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
Refers specifically to a historical demographic rather than a general category of educated young people. It carries a heavy weight of personal sacrifice and political upheaval, often evoking stories of hardship or lost opportunities. While the term is neutral in a historical context, it is rarely used to describe young people today.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My grandfather was a sent-down youth; he went to the countryside to farm.
Related words
Common phrases
the years spent as a sent-down youth
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with modern terms for educated youth or students, as it is strictly tied to the specific historical movement in China.
Grammar color guide
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Adjective
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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.
