上有老下有小 shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. above are the elderly, below are the young (idiom)
  2. fig. to have to take care of both one's aging parents and one's children
  3. sandwich generation

CHARACTERS

上 shàng
HSK 1
top; superior, highest; go up, send up
有 yǒu
HSK 1
have, own, possess; exist
老 lǎo
HSK 1
old, aged; experienced
下 xià
HSK 1
under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
有 yǒu
HSK 1
have, own, possess; exist
小 xiǎo
HSK 1
small, tiny, insignificant