Chinese word

代沟

Pronunciation

Pinyindài gōu

Meaning

  • noungeneration gap

Example

年轻人和老人之间常常有代沟。nián qīng rén hé lǎo rén zhī jiān cháng cháng yǒu dài gōu

There is often a generation gap between young people and older people.

Illustration for 代沟 (generation gap)

More examples

工作中也会有代沟，影响合作。gōng zuò zhōng yě huì yǒu dài gōu yíng xiǎng hé zuò

There can also be a generation gap at work, affecting cooperation.

Core concept

A social gap where different age groups find each other's ways of thinking and living hard to share.

Common phrases

  • 有代沟yǒu dài gōu

    have a generation gap

  • 代沟很大dài gōu hěn dà

    a wide generation gap

  • 弥合代沟mí hé dài gōu

    bridge the generation gap

Similar words

代际差异dài jì chā yì: The different ways of thinking and living seen in separate generations.
代际隔阂dài jì gé hé: A feeling of distance between generations when communication and understanding are lacking.
年龄差距nián líng chā jù: A difference in age linked to different viewpoints, roles, and experiences.
观念差异guān niàn chā yì: A difference in people's ways of looking at things and their beliefs about what matters.

Definition in Chinese

代沟 指不同世代之间在观念、价值观、生活方式等方面存在的差异或隔阂。dài gōu zhǐ bù tóng shì dài zhī jiān zài guān niàn jià zhí guān shēng huó fāng shì děng fāng miàn cún zài de chā yì huò gé hé

Word origin

The word combines 代 (dài, "generation") with 沟 (gōu, "ditch"), turning a physical ditch into an image of separation between age groups.

Usage tips

  • The phrase often appears in conversations about parents and children, but it need not blame either side; it can simply describe why their expectations do not match.

Word lists with this word