Chinese word

一辈子

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī bèi zi

Meaning

  • nounlifetime

Example

我会爱你一辈子。wǒ huì ài nǐ yí bèi zi

I will love you for a lifetime.

Illustration for 一辈子 (lifetime)

More examples

这部电影给他留下了一辈子的印象。zhè bù diàn yǐng gěi tā liú xià le yí bèi zi de yìn xiàng

This movie left a lifelong impression on him.

Core concept

The whole course of one life viewed as one continuous period, often linked to a feeling, promise, or long-term state.

Common phrases

  • 一辈子难忘yí bèi zi nán wàng

    unforgettable for a lifetime

  • 跟你过一辈子gēn nǐ guò yí bèi zi

    spend a lifetime with you

  • 一辈子的朋友yí bèi zi de péng yǒu

    lifelong friend

Similar words

一生yì shēng: The full length of a person's life from birth to death.
终身zhōng shēn: The complete span of a person's life, used mainly in formal or written language.

Definition in Chinese

口语的名词，指人生的整个时间长度，常带有感情色彩或夸张成分，用来表示某种状态贯穿一生。kóu yǔ de míng cí zhǐ rén shēng de zhěng gè shí jiān cháng dù cháng dài yǒu gǎn qíng sè cǎi huò kuā zhāng chéng fèn yòng lái biǎo shì móu zhǒng zhuàng tài guàn chuān yì shēng

Word origin

一 (yī, "one") + 辈 (bèi, "generation or peer group") + 子 (zi, "colloquial noun suffix") forms a colloquial expression for the complete span of one person's life.

Usage tips

  • In everyday promises, this word can make a statement sound warm and emphatic, while formal writing often favors a more neutral duration expression.

Other meanings

  • for lifeadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word