折寿 (zhé shòu) — to shorten one's life (often used self-deprecatingly to express modesty or guilt over receiving too much kindness)

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'shorten one's life', used hyperbolically and self-deprecatingly when someone gives you too much praise, kindness, or gifts — you say it to show you feel unworthy, not literally.

verb
to shorten one's life (often used self-deprecatingly to express modesty or guilt over receiving too much kindness)

Examples

  • ，折寿！
    Nín duì wǒ zhè me hǎo, zhēn shì ràng wǒ zhé shòu a!
    You're so good to me — it's really making me feel like I'm shortening my life!
  • ，折寿。
    Chī zhè me duō hǎo dōng xī, wǒ pà zhé shòu.
    Eating so many good things, I'm afraid it'll shorten my life.
  • ，。
    Tā zǒng shuō shòu bù qǐ bié rén de lǐ, pà zhé le shòu.
    He always says he can't accept others' gifts, afraid it would shorten his life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

折zhéshorten/break
寿shòulife/lifespan

折寿 means to shorten one's life: 折 is to break or shorten, and 寿 is lifespan.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 屮𣏄𣏄a tree {{zh-m|*木}} cut in half
  • 斤斤jīnaxe

The shape originally showed an axe (斤) cutting a tree in half; in 折 the left part is now written as a hand.

Open 折 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壽; 寿 is its simplified writing.

  • 耂耂lǎoold
  • 𢏚𢏚𢏚

The traditional form 壽 uses 耂 for old and a sound part 𢏚, plus added decorative marks; the simplified 寿 is a later shorthand.

Open 寿 →

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