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源远流长 (yuán yuǎn-liú cháng) — (idiom) having a long history and enduring continuity; going back to ancient times

Definition

A chengyu describing something — a tradition, friendship, civilization — that stretches back to ancient times and continues today. Stronger and more literary than 老, which just means 'old' in everyday use.

idiom
having a long history and enduring continuitygoing back to ancient times

Examples

  • 源远流长，。
    Zhè tiáo hé liú de wén míng yuán yuǎn-liú cháng, kě zhuī sù dào xīn shí qì shí dài.
    The civilization of this river has a long history, dating back to the Neolithic Age.
  • 源远流长，。
    Liǎng suǒ dà xué zhī jiān de xué shù jiāo liú yuán yuǎn-liú cháng, hé zuò le shàng bǎi nián.
    The academic exchange between the two universities has deep roots and has lasted over a hundred years.
  • 源远流长，。
    Wǒ men de yǒu yì yuán yuǎn-liú cháng, bú shì sān yán liǎng yǔ néng shuō qīng de.
    Our friendship has a long history — it can't be explained in just a few words.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
原
原yuán源yuán
Same sound today

源 combines 水 (water) and 原 (origin): 水 points to water, and 原 gives the sound.

Open 源 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán远yuǎn
Same sound today

远 combines 辶, meaning walk, with 元, used for its sound.

Open 远 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HistoryIdioms & Set Phrases

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