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短命 (duǎn mìng) — short-lived; ephemeral

Definition

Literally 'short life': means something ends or lasts only a brief time (a dynasty, a flower, a romance). Applies to things that die out quickly, not to a person's actual lifespan.

adjective
short-livedephemeral

Examples

  • ，短命，。
    Zhè zhǒng huā suī rán hěn hǎo kàn, dàn shì hěn duǎn mìng, jǐ tiān jiù diāo xiè le.
    This kind of flower is beautiful but short-lived—it withers in a few days.
  • 短命，。
    Lì shǐ shàng xǔ duō wáng cháo dōu shì duǎn mìng de, zhī cún zài le jǐ shí nián.
    Many dynasties in history were short-lived, lasting only a few decades.
  • 短命，。
    Tā de ài qíng gù shi fēi cháng duǎn mìng, zhǐ yǒu sān gè xīng qī.
    His love story was very short-lived—only three weeks.

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.

短duǎnshort
命mìnglife

短 (short) + 命 (life) describes a life that is short.

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
矢矢shǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu短duǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Open 短 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →
Appears in
Life Stages & Age

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