垂垂老矣 (chuí chuí lǎo yǐ) — (literary) to be getting old, to be advanced in years

Definition

Literary idiom meaning 'to be getting on in years' — an elegant, written way to say someone is aging, stronger than simply 老. Almost always used in formal writing or speech, not daily conversation.

verb
(literary) to be getting oldto be advanced in years

Examples

  • 垂垂老矣，矍铄。
    Tā suī chuí chuí lǎo yǐ, dàn jīng shén jué shuò.
    Although he is already old, he is still vigorous.
  • ，垂垂老矣。
    Shí guāng fēi shì, bù jué yǐ chuí chuí lǎo yǐ.
    Time flies, and before I knew it, I am already old.
  • 垂垂老矣，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo jiào shòu chuí chuí lǎo yǐ, réng bǐ gēng bú chuò.
    This old professor, though advanced in years, still keeps writing diligently.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

垂 combines 𠂹 and 土 to draw flowers hanging down from a plant.

Open 垂 →

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

垂 combines 𠂹 and 土 to draw flowers hanging down from a plant.

Open 垂 →

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
矢矢shǐarrow
Sound part声符shēngfú
㠯
以yǐ矣yǐ
Same sound today

The shape combines 以, which gives its sound, with 矢, an arrow, which gives its meaning.

Open 矣 →

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