终生

zhōng shēng

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Noun Uncommon

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Definitions

1. throughout one's life
2. lifetime; lifelong

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 半辈子 bàn bèi zi 半辈子 bàn bèi zi half of a lifetime 半辈子 means 'half a lifetime', contrasting with the entirety implied by 终生.: half of a lifetime

Synonyms

3 items

• 终身 zhōng shēn 终身 zhōng shēn lifelong Both mean 'lifelong', but 终身 often refers to personal matters like marriage or employment, while 终生 can refer to broader life pursuits.: lifelong
• 一生 yī shēng 一生 yī shēng all one's life; throughout one's life Both mean 'whole life', but 一生 is more common in spoken and written Chinese for life span.: all one's life; throughout one's life
• 毕生 bì shēng 毕生 bì shēng all one's life 毕生 is more formal and literary, often used for dedication of one's life to a cause.: all one's life

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Do not confuse 终生 (lifelong) with 终身 (also lifelong). 终生 emphasizes duration of life, while 终身 can refer to matters until death, like 终身大事 (marriage).

Formality

终生 is neutral in formality but often used in written or formal contexts, especially for serious commitments.

Example Sentences

1 shown

他 终生 热爱音乐。

He has loved music all his life.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 终生

• 终生伴侣 终生伴侣 zhōng shēng bàn lǚ: lifelong partner or companion

Child Words of 终生

• 生 生 shēng: to be born
• 终 终 zhōng: end