上有老下有小 shàng yǒu lǎo xià yǒu xiǎo

have parents and children to care for

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

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

Characters

Character Meaning
上 shàng HSK 1
to go up; on top; above
有 yǒu HSK 1
to have; there is; there are
老 lǎo HSK 1
old (of people)
下 xià HSK 1
down; below; to go down
有 yǒu HSK 1
to have; there is; there are
小 xiǎo HSK 1
small; young; tiny