命根

mìnggēn
noun #33,593

Meanings

  1. 1 lifeblood; the thing one cherishes most in life
  2. 2 (colloquial / euphemism) the family jewels (male genitals)

Examples

Zhège sūnzi shì nǎinai de mìnggēn.
This grandson is grandma's whole world.
Tǔdì shì nóngmín de mìnggēn.
Land is the lifeblood of farmers.

Tips

register
Two senses with very different vibes: (1) figurative — the most precious person/thing in someone's life, often used for an only child or grandchild; (2) crude/colloquial — male genitals (also 命根子). Context disambiguates; sense (1) is overwhelmingly the everyday meaning.

Stroke Order

mìng
gēn