children; at one's knees
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
one's children (figuratively, as children stay close to parents' knees when young)
Used in classical and formal contexts to refer to one's offspring. Commonly appears in the idiom 膝下犹虚.
Xī膝
xià下
yóu犹
xū虚
。
Still without children; childless.
Xī膝
xià下
yǒu有
yī一
zǐ子
yī一
nǚ女
。
Has one son and one daughter.
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Tā他
xī膝
xià下
kōng空
xū虚
，
wǎn晚
nián年
pō颇
wéi为
jì寂
mò寞
。
He had no children, and his later years were rather lonely.
noun
(epistolary formula) under the feet of; used in letters to parents or grandparents
formalA traditional epistolary convention indicating humility and respect. Placed immediately after the salutation (e.g., 父亲大人膝下).
Fù父
qīn亲
dà大
rén人
xī膝
xià下
：
Under the feet of my esteemed father:
Mǔ母
qīn亲
dà大
rén人
xī膝
xià下
，
jìng敬
bǐng禀
zhě者
：
Under the feet of my esteemed mother, I respectfully report:
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Zǔ祖
fù父
mǔ母
dà大
rén人
xī膝
xià下
。
Under the feet of my esteemed grandparents.