成家立业
*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.
1. Basic Information
- Pinyin: chéng jiā lì yè
- English Translation: To get married and establish a career (settle down)
- Idiom Composition: 「成」(To establish, form, or complete)
+ 「家」(A family or household) + 「立」(To set up, build, or stand) + 「业」(A career, profession, or business) - Meaning: To get married and start a family while also establishing a stable career or business. It describes the state of becoming a socially and economically independent adult.
2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances
「成家立业」 contains the following nuances:
- The Two Pillars of Adulthood: The idiom combines 成家 (chéng jiā), meaning to get married, and 立业 (lì yè), meaning to establish a career. In traditional Chinese culture, achieving both is seen as the definitive mark of a mature adult.
- Economic Independence: Beyond the social act of marriage, the term strongly implies having the financial means to support a household independently without relying on one's parents.
3. Usage
「成家立业」 is mainly used in the following contexts:
- Parental Expectations: Used when parents hope for their children's independence or express relief when their children become self-sufficient.
- Example:「看着孩子们一个个成家立业,父母终于可以放心了。」
(Seeing their children get married and settle down one by one, the parents finally felt at ease.)
- Example:「看着孩子们一个个成家立业,父母终于可以放心了。」
- Life Milestones: Used to describe the transition from youth to a stable, mature stage of life.
- Example:「他在三十岁之前就已经成家立业,是同龄人中的佼佼者。」
(He had already established a family and a career before the age of thirty, making him a standout among his peers.)
- Example:「他在三十岁之前就已经成家立业,是同龄人中的佼佼者。」
- Sense of Responsibility: Used to highlight the maturity and stability that comes with having professional and family responsibilities.
- Example:「男人成家立业后,往往会变得更加成熟稳重。」
(After a man settles down and builds a career, he often becomes more mature and stable.)
- Example:「男人成家立业后,往往会变得更加成熟稳重。」
Additional Examples:
- 现在的年轻人压力很大,想要在大城市成家立业并不容易。
(Young people today face a lot of pressure; it is not easy to get married and establish a career in a big city.) - 他虽然年纪轻轻,却已经成家立业,过上了安稳的生活。
(Although he is young, he has already settled down with a family and a career, living a stable life.) - 为了能够早日成家立业,他工作非常努力。
(He is working very hard so that he can start a family and establish himself as soon as possible.) - 等到你成家立业了,就会明白父母当年的苦心。
(Once you have a family and a career of your own, you will understand the hard work your parents put in back then.)
4. Cultural Background and Notes
- In traditional Chinese culture, particularly within Confucian (孔子) values, getting married to continue the family line and establishing a career are considered essential acts of filial piety.
- While the traditional sequence was 'marriage first, career second,' modern society often prioritizes 'career first, marriage second' due to intense economic competition and the desire for financial stability before starting a family.
- In contemporary China, the rising cost of living and housing has made 成家立业 (chéng jiā lì yè) a significant source of pressure for the younger generation, often referred to as the 'three mountains' of housing, education, and healthcare.
5. Similar and Opposite Idioms
- Similar Idioms:
- 安家落户 (ān jiā luò hù): To settle down in a new place and make it one's home.
- 白手起家 (bái shǒu qǐ jiā): To build up a family fortune or business from scratch through hard work.
- 功成名就 (gōng chéng míng jiù): To achieve success and fame.link
- Opposite Idioms:
6. Summary
成家立业 (chéng jiā lì yè) is a traditional Chinese idiom that defines the standard for adult success: getting married and building a career. It is often used by parents expressing hope for their children's future or to describe a person who has reached a stable stage in life.
