千岁 (qiān suì) — a thousand years (often figuratively meaning a very long time or long life); (historical) Your Highness / Her Highness (a title for imperial family members other than the emperor)

Definition

A 'thousand years,' used historically as a court title like 'Your Highness' for imperial family below the emperor. In modern usage it survives mostly as a poetic way to mean a very long life or long span of time.

noun
a thousand years (often figuratively meaning a very long time or long life)(historical) Your Highness / Her Highness (a title for imperial family members other than the emperor)

Examples

  • 千岁。
    Zhè zuò gǔ tǎ yǐ jīng yǒu qiān suì de lì shǐ le.
    This ancient pagoda already has a history of a thousand years.
  • ，千岁。
    Zài gǔ dài, qiān suì shì duì huáng shì chéng yuán de zūn chēng.
    In ancient times, 'Thousands of Years' was a respectful title for imperial family members.
  • 千岁。
    Cháo tíng shàng xià qí hū qiān suì.
    The entire court shouted 'Thousands of Years' together.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

千qiānthousand
岁suìyear

千岁 literally thousand years, extended to a title wishing long life to royalty.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
一一yīone, signifying a number
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén千qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 歲; 岁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
步步bù
Sound part声符shēngfú
戉
戉yuè歲suì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 歲, the part 步 shows movement over time, and 戉 gives the sound; this explanation is about 歲, not the simplified 岁.

Open 岁 →

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