zoi6 saang1在生
Jyutpingzoi6 saang1
Yalejoih sāang
Definition
Alive; still living and not dead.
colloquialpeoplehealth
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the state of being alive rather than the act of living or surviving. It is almost exclusively used when discussing elderly relatives or people of a previous generation to confirm they have not yet passed away. You will rarely hear it used for young people or in a general biological sense.
Examples
The elderly person is still alive and in good health.
Related words
Common phrases
still alive
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 活緊 or 生存緊, which refer to the process of living or surviving. Using 在生 for a young person can sound slightly morbid or overly formal, as if you are checking for a pulse.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
