诀别

• Pinyin: jué bié
• Hanzi breakdown: 诀 = 讠+ 夬 (farewell/final words); 别 = 口 + 刂 (separate/part)

Meaning

To part forever; to say a final farewell. A permanent separation, often implying death or an irreversible departure.

A literary and emotionally charged term. Unlike 告别 (farewell) or 分手 (break up), 诀别 carries the weight of finality — parting with no possibility of reunion, whether through death, exile, or irrevocable life choices. Frequently encountered in classical literature, eulogies, and historical narratives.

Examples

1. 在那个战火纷飞的年代，无数有情人在硝烟中留下了一声无奈的诀别，此后再未相见。 In that war-torn era, countless lovers were forced to part with a helpless farewell amid the smoke of battle, never to meet again.
2. 他在临终前握住妻子的手，用尽最后的力气说出了一声深情而沉重的诀别之语。 Before his final moments, he held his wife’s hand and used his last strength to speak a farewell that was both deeply loving and heavy with meaning.
3. 小说的结尾以一对挚友在命运的捉弄下被迫诀别的场景收笔，令读者久久难以释怀。 The novel ends with a scene in which two close friends are forced to part because of fate’s cruel twists, leaving readers unable to let go for a long time.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, history, eulogies, emotional narrative

Tone: melancholic

Do Say

• 这首诗是诗人在流亡前夕写给故乡的诀别之作，字里行间饱含了深沉的眷恋与悲怆。(This poem was the poet's farewell work to his homeland on the eve of exile, every line saturated with profound attachment and grief.)
• 母亲在弥留之际叫来了所有子女，用微弱的声音与他们一一诀别，场面令人肝肠寸断。(As the mother lay dying, she called all her children to her side and bid each of them a final farewell in a faint voice, a scene of heartbreaking sorrow.)

Don't Say

• 我们诀别了，下周再见 — 诀别 is permanent and irrevocable; use 告别 or 再见 for ordinary farewells with the expectation of meeting again

Origin & History

诀 (farewell formula/secret — implies finality) + 别 (separate/part)

Cultural Context

Era: Classical/Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal