壽比南山
Chinese
| (long) life | side by side; compare; to gesture side by side; compare; to gesture; than; ratio |
Zhongnan Mountains | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (壽比南山) | 壽 | 比 | 南山 | |
| simp. (寿比南山) | 寿 | 比 | 南山 | |
| Literally: “[One's] life is as long-lasting as the Zhongnan Mountains”. | ||||
Etymology
From the Classic of Poetry, poem 166 (《詩經·小雅·天保》):
- 如南山之壽，不騫不崩。
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Rú nánshān zhī shòu, bù qiān bù bēng.
rú sōngbǎi zhī mào, wú bù ěr huò chéng. [Pinyin] - Like the age of the southern hills, Never waning, never falling,
Like the luxuriance of the fir and the cypress; May such be thy succeeding line!
如松柏之茂，無不爾或承。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
如南山之寿，不骞不崩。
如松柏之茂，无不尔或承。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Idiom
壽比南山
- Long may you live!
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