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	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 (Jyutping): saang¹ gau⁶ caa¹ siu¹ hou² gwo³ saang¹ nei⁵

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• 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/

Proverb

生嚿叉燒好過生你

1. (Cantonese) Used to scold one's child for being useless.