shànyǎng: 赡养 - To Support (one's parents), To Provide For (elders)

• Keywords: shanyang, shan yang, 赡养, support parents, provide for parents, elder care China, filial piety, Chinese family values, alimony, shanyangfei, 赡养费
• Summary: In Chinese, 赡养 (shànyǎng) is the profound and culturally significant verb for the duty of adult children to financially and emotionally support their aging parents. More than just giving money, it embodies the core Confucian value of filial piety (孝, xiào) and is considered both a moral and legal obligation in Chinese society. This page explores the deep meaning of `赡养`, its role in modern China, and how it differs from Western concepts of elder care.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shànyǎng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To provide for, maintain, or support one's parents or elders.
• In a Nutshell: `赡养` is the act of “repaying” one's parents for the love, care, and resources they gave you as a child. It's a lifecycle concept where the flow of support reverses: parents first raise (抚养, fǔyǎng) their children, and then children support (赡养, shànyǎng) their parents. It carries a heavy weight of responsibility, tradition, and love.

• 赡 (shàn): This character is about providing sufficiently. The left radical, 贝 (bèi), originally meant “shell” and became a symbol for money or currency. It signifies providing material and financial resources. The right side, 詹 (zhān), is primarily phonetic.
• 养 (yǎng): This character means “to raise,” “to nurture,” or “to cultivate.” It's the same `养` in `养宠物` (yǎng chǒngwù - to raise a pet) and `营养` (yíngyǎng - nutrition). It implies ongoing care and nurturing.

The combination of 赡 (providing resources) and 养 (nurturing) creates the specific meaning of providing holistic support—both financial and emotional—to one's elders.

`赡养` is a cornerstone of Chinese family structure, directly stemming from the Confucian concept of 孝 (xiào), or filial piety. In traditional Chinese thought, the family, not the state, is the primary source of social security. Children have a sacred duty to care for their parents in their old age, just as their parents cared for them. Comparison with Western Culture: While Western cultures value caring for elderly parents, the concept is often framed as a choice driven by love or personal ethics. There's a stronger emphasis on individual independence, with seniors often relying on pensions, social security, and retirement homes. In contrast, `赡养` in Chinese culture is a fundamental, non-negotiable obligation (义务, yìwù). In fact, in the People's Republic of China, it is enshrined in law. Elderly parents can legally sue their adult children for failing to provide `赡养`. This legal backing highlights how central the concept is to social stability. This cultural difference often leads to immense social pressure on young Chinese adults, especially in the context of the “4-2-1” family structure (one child supporting two parents and four grandparents), a demographic challenge resulting from the former one-child policy.

`赡养` is a formal and serious term, used in conversations about family responsibilities, legal matters, and social issues.

• Family Discussions: It's used when discussing long-term plans for aging parents. “Who will be responsible for `赡养` mom and dad?” is a common and serious family conversation.
• Legal Context: The term is frequently used in legal documents. 赡养费 (shànyǎngfèi) can refer to financial support paid to elderly parents. In divorce proceedings, it can also refer to alimony paid to a former spouse.
• Social Commentary: News articles and social media often discuss the challenges of `赡养` in modern China, citing rising costs of living, geographic distance between children and parents, and the “empty nest” phenomenon (`空巢老人`, kōngcháo lǎorén).

The connotation is generally neutral and factual, but discussing the *failure* to `赡养` is highly negative and implies a severe moral failing.

• Example 1:
  • 子女有赡养父母的法律义务。
  • Pinyin: Zǐnǚ yǒu shànyǎng fùmǔ de fǎlǜ yìwù.
  • English: Children have a legal obligation to support their parents.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the legal and formal nature of `赡养`. The word `义务 (yìwù)` (obligation/duty) is frequently paired with it.

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• Example 2:
  • 他每个月都给父母寄钱作为赡养费。
  • Pinyin: Tā měi ge yuè dōu gěi fùmǔ jì qián zuòwéi shànyǎngfèi.
  • English: He sends money to his parents every month as financial support.
  • Analysis: This shows the practical, financial side of the term. `赡养费 (shànyǎngfèi)` is the specific word for the money used for this support.

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• Example 3:
  • 在中国，赡养老人不仅仅是给钱，还包括精神上的关怀。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, shànyǎng lǎorén bùjǐnjǐn shì gěi qián, hái bāokuò jīngshén shàng de guānhuái.
  • English: In China, supporting the elderly is not just about giving money, but also includes emotional and spiritual care.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains the holistic nature of `赡养`, emphasizing that it's more than just a financial transaction.

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• Example 4:
  • 他们兄弟俩在如何赡养年迈的母亲这个问题上产生了分歧。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen xiōngdì liǎ zài rúhé shànyǎng niánmài de mǔqīn zhège wèntí shàng chǎnshēngle fēnqí.
  • English: The two brothers had a disagreement on the issue of how to support their aging mother.
  • Analysis: This shows a common real-life conflict. The verb `如何 (rúhé)` (how to) is often used with `赡养` when discussing the logistics of care.

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• Example 5:
  • 拒绝赡养父母是会受到社会谴责的。
  • Pinyin: Jùjué shànyǎng fùmǔ shì huì shòudào shèhuì qiǎnzé de.
  • English: Refusing to support one's parents will be met with social condemnation.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the strong negative connotation associated with failing to perform this duty. `谴责 (qiǎnzé)` means “to condemn.”

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• Example 6:
  • 随着独生子女一代长大，赡养问题变得越来越突出。
  • Pinyin: Suízhe dúshēngzǐnǚ yī dài zhǎng dà, shànyǎng wèntí biànde yuèláiyuè tūchū.
  • English: As the one-child generation grows up, the problem of parental support is becoming more and more prominent.
  • Analysis: This sentence places `赡养` within the context of modern Chinese social issues (`独生子女` - one-child).

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• Example 7:
  • 离婚后，他需要支付前妻赡养费。
  • Pinyin: Líhūn hòu, tā xūyào zhīfù qiánqī shànyǎngfèi.
  • English: After the divorce, he needs to pay alimony to his ex-wife.
  • Analysis: This shows the secondary, legal meaning of `赡养费 (shànyǎngfèi)` as alimony. The context of `离婚 (líhūn)` (divorce) makes the meaning clear.

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• Example 8:
  • 她辞掉了工作，回家专心赡养生病的父亲。
  • Pinyin: Tā cí diàole gōngzuò, huí jiā zhuānxīn shànyǎng shēngbìng de fùqīn.
  • English: She quit her job and returned home to focus on taking care of her sick father.
  • Analysis: This example illustrates that `赡养` can involve direct, personal care, not just money. `专心 (zhuānxīn)` means “to focus on.”

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• Example 9:
  • 很多年轻人因为工作在外地，无法亲自赡养父母。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén yīnwèi gōngzuò zài wàidì, wúfǎ qīnzì shànyǎng fùmǔ.
  • English: Many young people, because they work in other cities, are unable to personally care for their parents.
  • Analysis: This highlights the modern challenge of geographic distance. `亲自 (qīnzì)` means “personally” or “in person.”

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• Example 10:
  • 这位老人将不赡养他的子女告上了法庭。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi lǎorén jiāng bù shànyǎng tā de zǐnǚ gào shàngle fǎtíng.
  • English: This elderly man took his children who wouldn't support him to court.
  • Analysis: A classic example of the legal enforcement of `赡养`. The `将…告上法庭 (jiāng… gào shàngle fǎtíng)` structure means “to sue someone.”

• `赡养` vs. “Support”: A common mistake for English speakers is to use `赡养` too broadly. In English, you can “support” a friend, a political cause, or a local team. `赡养` is almost exclusively used for the upward flow of support from a younger generation to an older generation (children to parents/grandparents) or in the legal context of alimony. You would never say `我赡养我的朋友` (I `shànyǎng` my friend). You would use `支持 (zhīchí)` instead.
• `赡养 (shànyǎng)` vs. `抚养 (fǔyǎng)` - The Critical Distinction:
  • 赡养 (shànyǎng): Support flows upwards. From adult child to aging parent. (Think Shàng/上 for up).
  • 抚养 (fǔyǎng): Support flows downwards. From parent to young child. This means “to raise,” “to rear,” “to bring up.”
  • Incorrect: `他需要赡养他三岁的儿子。` (He needs to `shànyǎng` his 3-year-old son.)
  • Correct: `他需要抚养他三岁的儿子。` (He needs to raise his 3-year-old son.)
  • Correct: `他需要赡养他八十岁的父亲。` (He needs to support his 80-year-old father.)

• 孝顺 (xiàoshùn) - Filial piety; the core virtue and motivation behind the act of `赡养`.
• 抚养 (fǔyǎng) - The conceptual opposite: to raise a child. The responsibility of parents towards children.
• 赡养费 (shànyǎngfèi) - The specific term for the money paid for support, whether to parents or an ex-spouse (alimony).
• 养老 (yǎnglǎo) - A broader term for “elderly care” or “living out one's old age.” `赡养` by one's children is a traditional form of `养老`.
• 义务 (yìwù) - Obligation, duty. Often paired with `赡养` to emphasize its mandatory nature.
• 空巢老人 (kōngcháo lǎorén) - “Empty-nest elders,” a social phenomenon where elderly parents live alone, often far from their children, posing a challenge to traditional `赡养`.
• 啃老族 (kěnlǎozú) - “The generation that gnaws on the old.” The inverse of `赡养`, referring to young adults who are financially dependent on their parents.