TongTong
Sign in

平生 (píng shēng) — (noun) one's whole life; a lifetime; (adverbial) throughout one's life; in one's entire life

Definition

Literary 'one's whole life / throughout one's life' (一生 is the neutral everyday synonym). Has a slightly formal, written tone and can also function adverbially before a verb.

noun
one's whole lifea lifetime(adverbial) throughout one's lifein one's entire life

Examples

  • 平生。
    Tā píng shēng zuì xǐ huan de shì jiù shì lǚ yóu.
    His favorite thing in his whole life is traveling.
  • 平生。
    Zhè shì wǒ píng shēng dì yī cì zuò fēi jī.
    This is the first time in my life I've taken a plane.
  • 平生。
    Tā píng shēng zuò le hěn duō duì shè huì yǒu yì de shì.
    He did many things beneficial to society throughout his life.

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.

平píngordinary/whole
生shēnglife

平 (ordinary/whole) + 生 (life) gives the idea of one's lifetime.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →
Appears in
Life Stages & AgeTime (Abstract)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.