壽 (shòu) - Longevity — refers to long life, old age, & also used in contexts of birthdays and celebrations

壽Tone 4

shòu ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

壽 · shòu

Longevity — refers to long life, old age, lifespan;

also used in contexts of birthdays and celebrations of long life.

Longevity — refers to long life, old age,also used in contexts of birthdays and celebrations

Usage highlights

Long lifeBirthday celebrationLongevity peachLongevity characterBirthday starLongevity noodles

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Wishing you longevity and good health (祝您健康长寿).
  • The birthday celebration is called Shouyan (寿宴).
  • He received a longevity peach (寿桃) on his birthday.
  • The character for longevity is often displayed on birthdays (寿字).

Collocations

  • Long life(长寿)
  • Birthday celebration(寿宴)
  • Longevity peach(寿桃)
  • Longevity character(寿字)
  • Birthday star(寿星)
  • Longevity noodles(寿面)

Idioms

  • May you enjoy longevity as immense as the Southern Mountains(寿比南山)
  • Boundless longevity and happiness(福寿无疆)
  • Longevity, wealth, and honor(寿富康宁)
  • May your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea, your longevity as great as the Southern Mountain(福如东海，寿比南山)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the most important concepts in Chinese culture, representing one of the 'Five Blessings' (五福).
  • The character 寿 is prominently displayed during birthday celebrations, especially for elders.
  • Symbols associated with longevity include peaches, cranes, tortoises, and the god of longevity (寿星).
  • Calligraphic representations of 寿 are common decorative elements in Chinese art and architecture.

FAQ