HSK · Level 34
135 words
Chinese word
终生
Pronunciation
Pinyinzhōng shēng
Meaning
- adverbfor life
Example
我愿意终生照顾你。wǒ yuàn yì zhōng shēng zhào gù nǐ
I am willing to take care of you for the rest of my life.
More examples
他终生致力于教育事业。tā zhōng shēng zhì lì yú jiào yù shì yè
He devoted his life to education.
Core concept
A thread that runs through the whole span of a person's life.
Common phrases
终生难忘zhōng shēng nán wàng
unforgettable for life
终生致力于zhōng shēng zhì lì yú
devote one's life to
终生受益zhōng shēng shòu yì
benefit throughout one's life
Similar words
终身zhōng shēn: For a person's entire lifetime, emphasizing a lasting status, duty, or condition.
一辈子yí bèi zi: All one's life, as a plain everyday expression for the whole span of living.
一生yì shēng: For the whole length of one person's life, from its start until its end.
永远yóng yuǎn: Forever, continuing without an end and not limited to one person's lifetime.
Definition in Chinese
表示在整个人生期间一直如此，既可修饰动作也可表示持续的状态或对生涯的总体描述，书面语中常见。biǎo shì zài zhěng gè rén shēng qī jiān yì zhí rú cǐ jì kě xiū shì dòng zuò yě kě biǎo shì chí xù de zhuàng tài huò duì shēng yá de zóng tǐ miáo shù shū miàn yǔ zhōng cháng jiàn
Word origin
终生 (zhōngshēng, "for life") joins 终 (zhōng, "end") and 生 (shēng, "life"), presenting something as lasting until life's end.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, this written-style word often sounds more formal than a plain phrase about an entire life, so it suits lasting promises, care, study, or work better than casual small talk.
Other meanings
- lifelongadjective
- lifetimenoun
Related words
- 终身zhōng shēnlifelongadjective
- 终身教育zhōng shēn jiào yùlifelong educationnoun