万古长青

• Pinyin: wàn gǔ cháng qīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 万 = ten thousand; 古 = 十 (ten) + 口 (mouth) — antiquity; 长 = pictograph of long hair; 青 = 生 (grow) + 丹 (cinnabar/blue) — blue-green, young

Meaning

To remain forever green; to last through the ages; eternal and enduring. A set phrase expressing everlasting vitality or fame.

A four-character idiom (成语) used to wish or declare that something — a spirit, a legacy, a friendship, a nation — will endure forever. Common in toasts, eulogies, inscriptions, and political speeches. Somewhat elevated in register; rarely used in casual conversation.

Examples

1. 革命先烈的精神万古长青，激励着一代又一代后人。 The spirit of the revolutionary martyrs endures through the ages, inspiring generation after generation.
2. 祝愿两国人民的友谊万古长青，世代相传。 We wish the friendship between the two peoples to remain forever green, passed down through the generations.
3. 他的诗歌经历了岁月的洗礼，依然万古长青，感动着每一位读者。 His poetry has weathered the test of time and remains eternally vibrant, moving every reader.

Usage Guide

Context: eulogy, politics, toast

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 愿我们的友谊万古长青！(May our friendship endure forever!)
• 英雄的精神将万古长青，永远铭刻在人们心中。(The spirit of heroes will endure through the ages, forever etched in people's hearts.)

Don't Say

• 在日常轻松场合使用万古长青 — it is too solemn for casual conversation; reserve it for toasts, eulogies, speeches, and formal inscriptions

Origin & History

万古 = ten thousand ages (eternity); 长青 = evergreen, perennially green. Together: remaining evergreen throughout eternity — a wish for something to endure forever.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal