📖 Meaning
This idiom means 'for one's entire life' or 'until the end of one's days.' It describes a span of time that encompasses a person's whole lifetime, emphasizing the totality and completeness of the duration involved.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom does not have a single well-documented origin story tied to a specific text or historical figure. It is a classical compound formed from familiar elements: 没世 meaning 'the end of one's life' or 'until death,' and 穷年 meaning 'exhausting the years.' The phrase appears in various classical Chinese writings where authors sought to express the idea of an entire lifespan. Over time it became a formal literary expression for 'a whole lifetime.'
💡 Example Usage
他致力于古籍整理，没世穷年，始终不渝。
He devoted his entire life to collating ancient texts, never wavering in his commitment.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 没世穷年
- Pinyin: méi shì qióng nián
- Literal Translation: to die, world, exhaust, years
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4