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永垂不朽 (yǒng chuí bù xiǔ) — to be immortal; to be remembered forever (of a person's name, deeds, or spirit)

Definition

A formal, written idiom meaning a person’s name or spirit will be remembered forever. Used almost exclusively for heroic, sacrificial, or revered figures in solemn contexts like monuments, eulogies, or official tributes.

idiom
to be immortalto be remembered forever (of a person's name, deeds, or spirit)

Examples

  • 永垂不朽。
    Gé mìng liè shì de yīng míng yǒng chuí bù xiǔ.
    The heroic names of revolutionary martyrs will be immortal.
  • 永垂不朽，。
    Tā de gòng xiàn jiāng yǒng chuí bù xiǔ, yǒng yuǎn bèi hòu rén míng jì.
    His contributions will last forever and always be remembered by future generations.
  • 永垂不朽，。
    Zhè wèi wěi rén de jīng shén yǒng chuí bù xiǔ, jī lì zhe yí dài yòu yí dài rén.
    The spirit of this great person is immortal, inspiring generation after generation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

永垂forever passed down
永yǒngforever垂chuíhang down/leave
偏正Modifier + head
不朽not decaying
不bùnot朽xiǔdecay
偏正Modifier + head

The senses of 永垂 and 不朽 run together: forever passed down and never decaying.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 永 was drawn as a long river with side streams, or as a person swimming in water.

Open 永 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

垂 combines 𠂹 and 土 to draw flowers hanging down from a plant.

Open 垂 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo朽xiǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

朽 pairs 木, a tree/wood, with 丂, which gives the sound. The 木 part connects it to wood.

Open 朽 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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