Chinese word

赡养

Pronunciation

Pinyinshàn yǎng

Meaning

  • verbprovide for

Example

孩子长大后要赡养父母。hái zi zhǎng dà hòu yào shàn yǎng fù mǔ

Children should provide for their parents when they grow up.

Illustration for 赡养 (provide for)

More examples

很多人宁愿亲自赡养父母，也不送养老院。hěn duō rén nìng yuàn qīn zì shàn yǎng fù mǔ yě bú sòng yáng lǎo yuàn

Many people would rather provide for their parents themselves than send them to a nursing home.

Core concept

A continuing family commitment that covers an older person's living needs.

Common phrases

  • 赡养父母shàn yǎng fù mǔ

    provide for one's parents

  • 履行赡养义务lǚ xíng shàn yǎng yì wù

    fulfill one's duty to provide for one's parents

Similar words

供养gòng yǎng: Give someone the money needed for daily living.
照顾zhào gù: Care for and help someone with daily activities or health needs.
抚养fú yǎng: Care for and educate a child as the child grows up.

Definition in Chinese

承担对父母或长辈的经济供给和日常照顾，长期负责其生活需要。chéng dān duì fù mǔ huò zhǎng bèi de jīng jì gōng jǐ hé rì cháng zhào gù cháng qī fù zé qí shēng huó xū yào

Word origin

The word joins 赡 (shàn, "to provide for") with 养 (yǎng, "to nourish"), linking material support with the care needed to sustain a person's life.

Usage tips

  • 赡养 (shànyǎng, "provide for") often sounds more formal than shorter verbs used in casual family talk, so it frequently appears in official, written, or serious discussions.

Other meanings

  • take care ofverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word