地老天荒 (dì lǎo tiān huāng) — (idiom) to last until the end of time; for all eternity (used of love, vows)

Definition

Literary idiom meaning love or vows lasting past the end of the earth and sky — used for eternal, unchanging devotion, never for ordinary duration.

idiom
to last until the end of timefor all eternity (used of love, vows)

Examples

  • 地老天荒，。
    Tā men de ài qíng dì lǎo tiān huāng, yǒng yuǎn bú biàn.
    Their love will last until the end of time, forever unchanging.
  • 地老天荒。
    Tā fā shì yào ài tā dì lǎo tiān huāng.
    He vowed to love her for all eternity.
  • 地老天荒。
    Zhè shǒu gē chàng de shì dì lǎo tiān huāng de shì yán.
    This song sings of vows that outlast heaven and earth.

Origin

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

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

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss, plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
巟
巟huāng荒huāng
Same sound today

荒 is built from 艹 (grass, plant) and 巟, with 巟 giving the sound huāng.

Open 荒 →

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