Chinese word

沧桑

Pronunciation

Pinyincāng sāng

Meaning

  • adjectiveweathered

Example

他的眼神很沧桑。tā de yǎn shén hěn cāng sāng

His eyes look weathered.

Illustration for 沧桑 (weathered)

More examples

战争过后，这座城市显得非常沧桑。zhàn zhēng guò hòu zhè zuò chéng shì xiǎn de fēi cháng cāng sāng

After the war, the city looked very weathered.

Core concept

A visible record of time and hardship in a person's face, manner, or condition.

Common phrases

  • 沧桑的经历cāng sāng de jīng lì

    experiences shaped by time

  • 沧桑的变化cāng sāng de biàn huà

    dramatic changes over time

  • 看起来沧桑kàn qǐ lái cāng sāng

    look weathered

Similar words

饱经风霜bǎo jīng fēng shuāng: Bearing clear signs of long years, hardship, and the wear they have left on a person.
苍老cāng lǎo: Having an aged look in the face, voice, or movements.
老练lǎo liàn: Handling matters skillfully and calmly through long experience.
老迈lǎo mài: Showing the loss of strength and energy that comes with old age.

Definition in Chinese

经历长时间的变化或苦难后，身心或外表显出岁月痕迹的状态jīng lì cháng shí jiān de biàn huà huò kǔ nàn hòu shēn xīn huò wài biǎo xiǎn chū suì yuè hén jì de zhuàng tài

Word origin

沧桑 (cāngsāng, "weathered") is a shortened form of 沧海桑田 (cānghǎi sāngtián, "sea and mulberry fields"), whose changing-land image developed into the weathered state left by time and hardship.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this word often sounds literary and weighty, so it suits a presence that suggests a long history rather than a merely tired or older appearance.

Other meanings

  • weather-beatenadjective
  • seasonedadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 沧桑感cāng sāng gǎna weathered qualitynoun

Word lists with this word