📖 Meaning
An idiom comparing a person's long life to that of turtles and cranes, which in Chinese tradition are believed to live for hundreds or thousands of years. It is commonly used to describe longevity or as a congratulatory wish for someone's birthday.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Tang dynasty poet Li Shangyin's elegiac text 'Ji Zhang Shuji Wen' (祭张书记文). In the original passage, Li Shangyin wrote '神道甚微，天理难究，桂蠹兰败，龟年鹤寿' reflecting on the mysterious ways of heaven and the inevitability of decay. The phrase draws on the traditional Chinese belief that turtles and cranes are exceptionally long-lived creatures. Li Shangyin used it poetically to lament that even beings blessed with such longevity cannot escape mortality. Over time, the expression shifted from its elegiac context into a common congratulatory phrase for wishing someone a long and healthy life.
💡 Example Usage
祝老爷爷龟年鹤寿，福寿安康。
Wishing Grandpa a long and healthy life, as enduring as the turtle and the crane.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 龟年鹤寿
- Pinyin: guī nián hè shòu
- Literal Translation: turtle, year, crane, longevity
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4