宝刀不老 (bǎo dāo bù lǎo) — (idiom) still vigorous and capable despite adva…

Definition

Literally 'a treasured blade has not gone dull' — used to praise an older person who is still as sharp and capable as ever.

idiom

still vigorous and capable despite advanced ageto have lost none of one's skill

宝刀不老，。
Zhè wèi lǎo jiào shòu zhēn shì bǎo dāo bù lǎo, jiǎng kè hái shì nà me jīng cǎi.
This old professor really still has it — his lectures are still that brilliant.
，宝刀不老。
Suī rán tā yǐ jīng liù shí suì le, dàn zài qiú chǎng shàng yī rán bǎo dāo bù lǎo.
Although he's already sixty years old, on the court he's still going strong.
宝刀不老，。
Zhè wèi lǎo yǎn yuán bǎo dāo bù lǎo, yǎn jì bǐ nián qīng shí hou gèng hǎo le.
This veteran actor has lost none of his skill — his acting is even better than when he was young.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寶; 宝 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 寶 shows 宀 (house), 琡 (jade), and 貝 (cowry), drawn together as treasures in a house.

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

The shape of 刀 comes from a simple picture of a knife.

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.

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.