zǐ子sonchéng承inheritfù父fatheryè业work
The son carries on the father's work — family business / craft passed to the next generation.
Literal meaning
son (子) — inherit (承) — father (父) — work (业)
Origin
A traditional four-character compression of the Confucian / agrarian norm of generational continuity. In imperial China, sons typically inherited their fathers' professions — farmer's son became a farmer, merchant's son became a merchant. The phrase has carried this meaning forward into modern usage about family-owned businesses and inherited trades.
Examples
Tā他zǐ子chéng承fù父yè业，jiē接guǎn管le了jiā家zú族qǐ企yè业。
He carried on the family business, taking it over from his father.
Xiàn现zài在hěn很shǎo少yǒu有rén人zǐ子chéng承fù父yè业le了。
These days few people follow their parents' trade.
Usage & nuances
Slightly traditional register. Often invoked in commentary on changing career patterns or family business succession.
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