不减当年 (bù jiǎn dāng nián) — no worse than in the past; still as good as before (of one's skills, appearance, or energy)

Definition

Praises someone's skill, looks, or energy as still matching their prime — '(someone) is just as good as years ago.' Often used admiringly about older people.

idiom
no worse than in the paststill as good as before (of one's skills, appearance, or energy)

Examples

  • ，不减当年。
    Tā suī rán tuì xiū le, dàn fēng cǎi bù jiǎn dāng nián bù jiǎn dāng nián.
    Although he has retired, his charm is still as great as ever.
  • 不减当年。
    Zhè wèi lǎo yì shù jiā de biǎo yǎn mèi lì bù jiǎn dāng nián bù jiǎn dāng nián.
    This veteran artist's performance charisma is no less than in the past.
  • 不减当年，。
    Tā de qí yì bù jiǎn dāng nián bù jiǎn dāng nián, hái shì nà me lì hài.
    His chess skills are still as formidable as before.

Origin

Characters in this word

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 減; 减 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 減 has 氵, water, and 咸, a seal: sealing off a stream of water lessens its flow. The simplified 减 is a later abbreviation.

Open 减 →

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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
禾禾héwheat; grain
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén年nián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

年 pairs 禾 (grain) with 人, which gives the sound. Its original meaning was harvest, and it later came to mean a year.

Open 年 →

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