Chūnjié de shíhou, yìjiālǎoxiǎo dōu huí lǎojiā guònián.
At Spring Festival, the entire family — young and old — goes back home to celebrate.
Tips
history
Already standard narrative vocabulary by the Ming dynasty — Luo Guanzhong's 《三国演义》 chapter 10 describes Cao Cao fleeing with 「一家老小四十余人」 ('a household of some forty, old and young'). Feng Menglong uses it identically in 《警世通言》.
usage
Most common in family-responsibility contexts: 养活一家老小 (supporting the whole family), 保护一家老小 (protecting everyone at home). Feels warmer and more concrete than the neutral 全家.
