三歲定八十

三歲定八十

Chinese

		three	year; years old; (a measure word)	to set; to fix; to determine to set; to fix; to determine; to decide; to stabilise; to order	eighty
trad. (三歲定八十)		三	歲	定	八十
simp. (三岁定八十)		三	岁	定	八十

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “from Cantonese?”)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): sānsuìdìngbāshí

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ ㄙㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄧㄥˋ ㄅㄚ ㄕˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): saam¹ seoi³ ding⁶ baat³ sap⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: sānsuìdìngbāshí
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ ㄙㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄧㄥˋ ㄅㄚ ㄕˊ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sansueydinqbashy
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sansuèidìngbashíh
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sän⁵⁵ sweɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tiŋ⁵¹ pä⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: saam¹ seoi³ ding⁶ baat³ sap⁶
    • Yale: sāam seui dihng baat sahp
    • Cantonese Pinyin: saam¹ soey³ ding⁶ baat⁸ sap⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sam¹ sêu³ ding⁶ bad³ seb⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /säːm⁵⁵ sɵy̯³³ tɪŋ²² päːt̚³ sɐp̚²/

Proverb

三歲定八十

1. The character or attitude of a person is already formed at age three and will never change afterwards.