成家立业

成家立業

chéngjiā-lìyè

idiom #39,630

Meanings

1 to get married and start a career
2 to settle down and establish oneself
3 to set up a household and a livelihood

Characters

to form; to establish

family; household

career; enterprise

Examples

HSK 4

成家立业之后，他的生活变得更加稳定。

Chéngjiālìyè zhīhòu, tā de shēnghuó biàn de gèngjiā wěndìng.

After settling down and starting his career, his life became much more stable.

HSK 7-9

父母希望他早日成家立业。

Fùmǔ xīwàng tā zǎorì chéngjiālìyè.

His parents hope he will soon settle down and build a career.

HSK 7-9

他三十岁已经成家立业，让家人很欣慰。

Tā sānshí suì yǐjīng chéngjiālìyè, ràng jiārén hěn xīnwèi.

At thirty he's already married and established - a comfort to his family.

Tips

history

From Wu Zimu's Song-dynasty 《梦粱录·恤贫济老》: 四方百货，不趾而集，自此成家立业者众矣 - describing how goods from all directions gathered in Hangzhou, allowing many to establish families and livelihoods.

culture

Embodies a traditional life milestone expectation - particularly applied to men, combining family formation with career stability. Often cited (sometimes anxiously) in parent-child conversations about adulthood.

Stroke Order

成 chéng

家 jiā

立 lì

业 yè