人寿 (rén shòu) — human lifespan, life (duration)

Definition

noun
human lifespanlife (duration)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 人寿。
    Rén lèi de píng jūn rén shòu zài zēng jiā.
    The average human lifespan is increasing.
  • 。
    rén shòu Bǎo xiǎn shì yì zhǒng zhòng yào de bǎo zhàng.
    Life insurance is an important protection.
  • ，人寿。
    Suí zhe yī liáo jìn bù, rén shòu bú duàn yán cháng.
    With medical progress, human lifespan is continuously extending.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

人rénperson
寿shòulifespan

The 寿 of a 人, meaning a human lifespan.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壽; 寿 is its simplified writing.

  • 耂耂lǎoold
  • 𢏚𢏚𢏚

The traditional form 壽 uses 耂 for old and a sound part 𢏚, plus added decorative marks; the simplified 寿 is a later shorthand.

Open 寿 →

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