📖 Meaning
Describes a person who is drawing near to old age, with the days of one's life approaching their twilight. The idiom carries a wistful, reflective tone about the passage of time and the approach of old age. It is often used when lamenting that one is growing old or that little time remains.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Song dynasty, appearing in the ci poem "醉落魄" (Zui Luo Po) by the poet Zhang Yuangan (张元幹), collected in his work 庐川词. The original line reads "年华垂暮犹离索," meaning "though my years approach old age, I am still separated and adrift." Zhang Yuangan was a Southern Song poet celebrated for his bold, patriotic lyrics. The line conveys his melancholy over prolonged separation even as his life drew toward its end.
💡 Example Usage
纵使年华垂暮，他依然笔耕不辍，初心不改。
Even though he is approaching old age, he still keeps writing tirelessly and never changes his original aspiration.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 年华垂暮
- Pinyin: nián huá thuí mù
- Literal Translation: years of life, approaching, old age
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4