Chinese word

降临

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiàng lín

Meaning

  • verbcome

Example

夜色降临，我们回家吧。yè sè jiàng lín wǒ men huí jiā ba

When night falls, let's go home.

Illustration for 降临 (come)

More examples

末日降临的预感让人不安。mò rì jiàng lín de yù gǎn ràng rén bù ān

The feeling that the end of the world is coming makes people uneasy.

Core concept

A time, condition, or event arrives as if descending and drawing near.

Common phrases

  • 末日降临mò rì jiàng lín

    the end of the world comes

  • 幸福降临xìng fú jiàng lín

    happiness arrives

  • 灾难降临zāi nàn jiàng lín

    disaster strikes

Similar words

到来dào lái: Describes a period or event coming into being or starting.
来临lái lín: Describes a time or situation approaching and then arriving.
来到lái dào: Describes a person or thing coming to and reaching a place.

Definition in Chinese

表示某个时间点或状态的到来，可用于季节、夜晚或抽象事态，书面语中常见且语感庄重或抒情。biǎo shì mǒu gè shí jiān diǎn huò zhuàng tài de dào lái kě yòng yú jì jié yè wǎn huò chōu xiàng shì tài shū miàn yǔ zhōng cháng jiàn qiě yú gǎn zhuāng zhòng huò shū qíng

Word origin

降临 (jiànglín, "to descend and arrive") combines 降 (jiàng, "to descend") with 临 (lín, "to draw near"), giving an elevated picture of something coming into presence.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this word sounds formal and literary, while simpler wording is usually more natural; it fits written descriptions, announcements, and poetic language.

Other meanings

  • befallnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word