生离死别 (shēng lí sǐ bié) — the bitter sorrow of separation in life and parting by death; a tragic, forced parting

Definition

An idiom for the deepest grief of being torn apart — either in life (separation) or by death. It implies the parting is forced and permanent, more extreme than ordinary 分别 or 离别.

idiom
the bitter sorrow of separation in life and parting by deatha tragicforced parting

Examples

  • ，生离死别。
    Jīng lì guò zhàn zhēng de rén, dōu míng bai shēng lí sǐ bié de tòng kǔ.
    People who have experienced war understand the pain of being separated in life and parted by death.
  • ，生离死别。
    Zhè duì liàn rén bèi pò fēn kāi, zhēn shì shēng lí sǐ bié.
    This couple was forced apart — truly a bitter separation of life and death.
  • 生离死别，。
    Xiǎo shuō zhōng miáo xiě de shēng lí sǐ bié qíng jié, ràng dú zhě shí fēn gǎn dòng.
    The novel's portrayal of the sorrow of lifelong separation moved readers deeply.

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.

生离separation in life
生shēnglife离líseparation
偏正Modifier + head
死别parting by death
死sǐdeath别biéparting
偏正Modifier + head

“生离” joins life and separation, “死别” joins death and parting, giving the sorrows of being parted in life and by death.

Characters in this word

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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 離; 离 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
离
离lí離lí
Same sound today

The traditional form 離 pairs 隹, a bird, with the sound part 离; the simplified 离 is a shorthand. This form first wrote a black-naped oriole, and the sound was borrowed for 'leave'.

Open 离 →

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 別; 别 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 別 pairs 冎 (bone) with 刀 (knife), showing a knife cutting up bone and flesh. The simplified 别 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 别 →

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