Definition
败家子 literally means 'a son who ruins the family' — it refers to a person (usually male) who squanders the family's accumulated wealth, property, or reputation through wasteful spending, gambling, or irresponsible behavior. The term carries strong cultural disapproval, as Chinese tradition places high value on preserving and growing family assets across generations. It is a fixed noun, not a separable verb, and is always used as a direct label or object.
n.
a spendthrift who squanders family wealtha prodigal son
Examples
- ，，败家子。Tā zhěngtiān bù gōngzuò, jiù zhīdào huā qián, zhēn shì ge bài jiā zǐ.He doesn't work all day, just spends money — he's really a spendthrift.
- 败家子，。Tāmen jiā chū le ge bài jiā zǐ, bǎ jǐ dài rén de jīxù dōu shū guāng le.Their family produced a prodigal son who gambled away generations of savings.
- ，败家子。Bié bǎ gōngsī jiāo gěi tā, tā jiù shì yí ge bài jiā zǐ.Don't hand the company over to him; he's nothing but a spendthrift.
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