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永无宁日 (yǒng wú níng rì) — (idiom) there will never be a day of peace; perpetual unrest

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning 'never a day of peace,' used for ongoing turmoil in a place, group, or situation. Carries a strong, literary tone — typical of news and formal writing rather than everyday speech.

idiom
there will never be a day of peaceperpetual unrest

Examples

  • ，永无宁日，。
    Zài zhàn luàn shí qī, bǎi xìng yǒng wú níng rì, shēng huó shí fēn jiān nán.
    During the war period, the people never had a day of peace, and life was very difficult.
  • ，永无宁日。
    Rú guǒ shè huì chí xù dòng dàng, guó jiā jiù huì yǒng wú níng rì.
    If society continues to be turbulent, the country will never have a day of peace.
  • ，永无宁日。
    Rén mín kě wàng hé píng, dàn dòng luàn shǐ de zhè lǐ yǒng wú níng rì.
    The people long for peace, but unrest makes it so that there is never a peaceful day here.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寧; 宁 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 皿皿mǐnfood or wine vessel
  • 丂丂kǎotable (?)
Open 宁 →

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

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Open 日 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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