命根

mìnggēn
noun #33,593

Meanings

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

Examples

HSK 4
Zhège sūnzi shì nǎinai de mìnggēn.
This grandson is grandma's whole world.
HSK 5
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

命 mìng
根 gēn