生平

• Pinyin: shēng píng
• Hanzi breakdown: 生 = 土 + 屮 (life, living); 平 = 干 + 八 (level, ordinary, throughout)

Meaning

One's lifetime; the course of one's life; all that one has experienced or achieved throughout life.

Often used in biographical contexts — 生平事迹 (life story and deeds), 生平简介 (brief biography). Can also function adverbially meaning 'in all one's life / ever': 生平第一次 (for the first time in one's life). Common in formal writing, eulogies, and historical accounts.

Examples

1. 博物馆专门设立了一个展厅，系统介绍这位科学家的生平与成就。 The museum has set up a dedicated gallery that systematically introduces this scientist’s life and achievements.
2. 她生平最大的心愿，是看到自己的作品在故乡的舞台上公演。 Her greatest wish in life was to see her work performed on a stage in her hometown.
3. 传记作家花了十年时间，深入研究这位将领的生平经历与历史贡献。 The biographer spent ten years conducting in-depth research on the general’s life experiences and historical contributions.

Usage Guide

Context: biography, history, literature, eulogies

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 纪念馆通过大量珍贵史料，完整呈现了先烈波澜壮阔的生平与革命历程。(The memorial hall uses a wealth of precious historical materials to fully present the hero's extraordinary life and revolutionary journey.)
• 他生平从未向任何困难低头，这种精神激励了一代又一代的年轻人。(He never yielded to any difficulty throughout his life; this spirit has inspired generation after generation of young people.)

Don't Say

• 生平 when referring to a specific brief period — 生平 denotes the whole span of a life, not a short episode; use 时期 or 阶段 for a specific phase

Origin & History

生 (life) + 平 (ordinary, whole, throughout)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal