海枯石烂 (hǎi kū shí làn) — for ever and ever (used in love vows); until the seas dry up and the rocks decay

Definition

A chengyu used in love vows to swear eternal devotion: 'until the seas dry up and the rocks decay.'

idiom
for ever and ever (used in love vows)until the seas dry up and the rocks decay

Examples

  • ，海枯石烂。
    Tā fā shì huì yǒng yuǎn ài tā, yì zhí dào hǎi kū shí làn.
    She swore she would love him forever, until the seas dry up and the rocks decay.
  • ：“海枯石烂。”
    Tā duì wǒ shuō: "wǒ duì nǐ de xīn hǎi kū shí làn bú biàn."
    He said to me, “My feelings for you will never change — not until the seas dry up and the rocks decay.”
  • 海枯石烂，。
    Jí shǐ shì hǎi kū shí làn, wǒ yě yuàn yì děng nǐ.
    Even if it takes until the seas dry up and the rocks decay, I am willing to wait for you.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

海枯sea dries up
海hǎisea枯kūdry up
主谓Subject + predicate
石烂stones rot
石shístone烂lànrot
主谓Subject + predicate

The sea drying and stones rotting together express a vow that lasts forever.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi海hǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ枯kū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

枯 pairs 木 (tree) with 古, which gives the sound.

Open 枯 →

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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 爛; 烂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán爛làn
Same sound today

The form 爛 pairs 火 (fire) with 闌 as the sound part; this explains 爛, not the simplified 烂.

Open 烂 →

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