寿命

• Pinyin: shòu mìng
• Desglose de hanzi: 寿 = complex character depicting a long-lived elder with a walking stick (longevity); 命 = 口 + 令 (mouth + command — one's allotted life and fate)

Significado

Esperanza de vida; vida útil (de un equipo).

Used for both biological lifespan (人均寿命 — average life expectancy) and the operational lifespan of objects, systems, or institutions (设备寿命 — equipment service life; 建筑寿命 — building lifespan). Distinct from 生命 (life — the state of being alive) and 年龄 (age — elapsed time since birth). Key compounds: 平均寿命 (average lifespan); 预期寿命 (life expectancy); 使用寿命 (useful service life).

Ejemplos

1. 坚持运动、均衡饮食和充足睡眠的人，平均寿命更长，晚年认知退化也更慢。
2. 这批设备在极端气候下运行，其寿命远低于设计值，材料选型和维护周期都是原因。
3. 核电站从一开始就要规划运营、维护和退役，因为设施寿命终结后的去核化成本极高。

Guía de uso

Contexto: medicine, demographics, engineering, environment, policy

Tono: neutral

Correcto

• 医疗和公共卫生不断进步，全球平均预期寿命过去百年增了三十多年，但也带来养老压力。(Medical care and public health keep advancing, and global average life expectancy has risen by more than thirty years over the past century, but that also brings pension pressure.)
• 航空发动机的设计寿命看循环次数，不看年限，因为每次起降累积的热疲劳更能预测剩余寿命。(An aircraft engine's design life is measured by cycles, not years, because the thermal fatigue accumulated in each takeoff and landing better predicts remaining service life.)

Incorrecto

• 寿命 to mean someone's current age — use 年龄 (age) or 岁数 (age in years); 寿命 refers to the total duration of life or service, not the age at any given point; also avoid 寿命 for short-lived ephemeral items where 时限 (time limit) or 有效期 (validity period) is more precise

Origen e historia

寿 (longevity; long life — an old character depicting a long-lived elder) + 命 (life; fate — 口 mouth + 令 command, suggesting one's allotted destiny)

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal