Definition
生儿育女 is a four-character set phrase (成语/固定搭配) that literally means 'to give birth to sons and raise daughters.' It is used broadly to refer to the full process of bearing and raising children, often carrying traditional connotations of family duty and the cycle of parenthood. Unlike the more neutral 'having children' in English, this phrase emphasizes the cultural responsibility and devotion involved.
f.e.
to bear and raise children (idiomatic set phrase emphasizing the full cycle of parenthood)
Examples
- 生儿育女。Tā yìshēng zuìdà de yuànwàng jiù shì shēng ér yù nǚ.Her greatest wish in life was to bear and raise children.
- 生儿育女，。Fùmǔ xīnkǔ shēng ér yù nǚ, háizi yīnggāi xiàoshùn.Parents work hard to bear and raise children; children should be filial.
- ，生儿育女。Zài xiàndài shèhuì, shēng ér yù nǚ bú zài shì wéiyī de rénshēng mùbiāo.In modern society, bearing and raising children is no longer the only life goal.
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