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生龙活虎 (shēng lóng huó hǔ) — full of vigor and vitality; lively and energetic

Definition

A vivid chengyu for someone bursting with energy, like a lively tiger or dragon. Used of people (often surprisingly, as in the elderly) — not for scenery or abstract vigor.

idiom
full of vigor and vitalitylively and energetic

Examples

  • 生龙活虎，。
    Tā měi tiān kàn qǐ lái dōu shēng lóng huó hǔ de, hǎo xiàng yǒng yuǎn bú lèi.
    He looks full of energy every day, as if he never gets tired.
  • 生龙活虎，。
    Hái zi men zài cāo chǎng shàng pǎo dé shēng lóng huó hǔ, shí fēn kāi xīn.
    The children are running around on the playground with great vigor, very happy.
  • ，生龙活虎。
    Zhè wèi lǎo yé ye suī rán bā shí suì le, dàn réng rán shēng lóng huó hǔ.
    Although this old grandpa is eighty years old, he is still full of vitality.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

生龙living dragon
生shēngliving龙lóngdragon
偏正Modifier + head
活虎active tiger
活huóactive虎hǔtiger
偏正Modifier + head

生龙 and 活虎 put living dragon and active tiger side by side, giving a picture of great energy and liveliness.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龍; 龙 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龍 originally drew a sacred creature with a large mouth and a snake-like body; the simplified 龙 is the form written here.

Open 龙 →

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
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →

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

虎 originally drew a tiger's head. Its body disappeared, and the legs and tail became the lower part.

Open 虎 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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