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年轻力壮 (nián qīng lì zhuàng) — young and strong; in the prime of life; vigorous and healthy

Definition

Idiom for being in the prime of life — young AND physically strong. Often used to praise someone's working capacity or urge them to act while still vigorous.

idiom
young and strongin the prime of lifevigorous and healthy

Examples

  • 年轻力壮，。
    Tā nián qīng lì zhuàng, yí gè rén néng bān hǎo jǐ xiāng huò wù.
    He is young and strong — one person can carry several boxes of goods.
  • 年轻力壮。
    Zhè xiē nián qīng lì zhuàng de gōng rén gàn huó tè bié kuài.
    These young and vigorous workers work especially fast.
  • 年轻力壮。
    Nián qīng rén yīng gāi chèn nián qīng lì zhuàng de shí hou duō xué běn shì.
    Young people should take advantage of being young and strong to learn more skills.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

年轻young
年niánage轻qīnglight
主谓Subject + predicate
力壮strong
力lìstrength壮zhuàngstrong
主谓Subject + predicate

年轻力壮 puts 年轻 and 力壮 side by side: age is light and strength is strong, so young and vigorous.

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
禾禾héwheat; grain
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén年nián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

年 pairs 禾 (grain) with 人, which gives the sound. Its original meaning was harvest, and it later came to mean a year.

Open 年 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輕; 轻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng輕qīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輕 pairs 車, a carriage, with 巠 to give the sound; it originally named a light carriage. The simplified 轻 is only a later shorthand.

Open 轻 →

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

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壯; 壮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
士士shì
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán壯zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壯 uses 士 to hint at the meaning and 爿 for the sound; the simplified 壮 is a later abbreviation.

Open 壮 →
Appears in
Life Stages & Age

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