生嚿叉燒好過生你
Chinese
to be born; to give birth; life to be born; to give birth; life; to grow; student; raw |
char siu; barbecued pork; chance | good; well; be fond of | to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker) to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker); to pass; to celebrate; to live; to get along; excessively; too- |
to be born; to give birth; life to be born; to give birth; life; to grow; student; raw |
you | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (生嚿叉燒好過生你) | 生 | 嚿 | 叉燒 | 好 | 過 | 生 | 你 | |
| simp. (生嚿叉烧好过生你) | 生 | 嚿 | 叉烧 | 好 | 过 | 生 | 你 | |
| Literally: “giving birth to a piece of char siu is better than giving birth to you”. | ||||||||
Etymology
A piece of barbecued pork is more useful than the child in question because at least the barbecued pork can be eaten.
Pronunciation
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: saang1 gau6 caa1 siu1 hou2 gwo3 saang1 nei5
- Yale: sāang gauh chā sīu hóu gwo sāang néih
- Cantonese Pinyin: saang1 gau6 tsaa1 siu1 hou2 gwo3 saang1 nei5
- Guangdong Romanization: sang1 geo6 ca1 xiu1 hou2 guo3 sang1 néi5
- Sinological IPA (key): /saːŋ⁵⁵ kɐu̯²² t͡sʰaː⁵⁵ siːu̯⁵⁵ hou̯³⁵ kʷɔː³³ saːŋ⁵⁵ nei̯¹³/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Proverb
生嚿叉燒好過生你
- (Cantonese) Used to scold one's child for being useless.