Chinese

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(long) life
side by side; compare; to gesture
side by side; compare; to gesture; than; ratio
 
Zhongnan Mountains
trad. (壽比南山) 南山
simp. (寿比南山) 寿 南山
Literally: “[One's] life is as long-lasting as the Zhongnan Mountains”.

Etymology

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From the Classic of Poetry, poem 166 (《詩經·小雅·天保》):

南山
松柏
[Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
南山寿
松柏
[Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
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!

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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壽比南山

  1. Long may you live!

Synonyms

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