长盛不衰 (cháng shèng bù shuāi) — to remain prosperous and unchallenged over a long period; long-lasting success without decline

Definition

Idiom meaning something stays strong and prosperous over a long time, never declining. Used for brands, traditions, cultures, or lasting influence — not for short-term trends.

idiom
to remain prosperous and unchallenged over a long periodlong-lasting success without decline

Examples

  • ，长盛不衰。
    Zhè jiā lǎo zì hào pǐn pái jīng lì le bǎi nián fēng yǔ, zhì jīn réng rán cháng shèng bù shuāi.
    This time-honored brand has weathered a hundred years of storms and still thrives today.
  • 长盛不衰，。
    Rú jiā wén huà zài zhōng guó lì shǐ shàng cháng shèng bù shuāi, yǐng xiǎng shēn yuǎn.
    Confucian culture has long flourished in Chinese history, with far-reaching influence.
  • 长盛不衰，。
    Tā de gē shēng zài yuè tán cháng shèng bù shuāi, jǐ shí nián guò qù yī rán shòu huān yíng.
    Her singing remains ever-popular in the music industry; decades later, she is still adored.

Origin

Characters in this word

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 →

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
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
成
成chéng盛shèng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盛 combines 成 as a sound part with 皿 as a meaning part; the 皿 side points to a vessel, which fits meanings such as hold and fill.

Open 盛 →

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.

Open 不 →

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

The old form of 衰 pictures a palm-fiber raincoat, a garment later written with another character.

Open 衰 →

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