永远

• Pinyin: yǒng yuǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 永 = pictograph of flowing water with branching streams, meaning 'eternal/perpetual'; 远 = 辶 (walk) + 元 (origin), meaning 'far'

Meaning

Forever; always; eternally. Indicates something that lasts for all time without end.

Used to express permanence or something that will never change. Common in both emotional and factual contexts. Often used in promises, declarations, and emphatic statements. Can also be used with negation: 永远不会忘记 (will never forget).

Examples

1. 我永远不会忘记你的帮助。 I will never forget your help.
2. 他们是永远的好朋友。 They are friends forever.
3. 我永远支持你。 I will always support you.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, emotional, conversation

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 我永远爱你。(I love you forever.)
• 这个问题永远都解决不了。(This problem can never be solved.)

Don't Say

• 我永远去了北京。(Don't use 永远 with completed one-time actions — it means 'forever/always,' not 'once.' Say 我去过北京.)

Origin & History

Compound of 永 (eternal/perpetual) and 远 (far/distant), literally 'eternally far' — extending into the infinite distance of time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal