劫后余生
jié hòu yú shēng
to survive a disaster; life after a narrow escape
Character by character
劫jié
calamity
calamity
后hòu
after
after
余yú
remaining
remaining
生shēng
life
life
Example
地震过去十年了，劫后余生的人们在废墟旁重建了家园。
Ten years after the earthquake, the survivors have rebuilt their homes beside the ruins.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
劫 is a Buddhist word for a world age that ends in destruction, hence “calamity”. Said of people who survive wars, disasters or accidents, and of things that come through them (劫后余生的古树); often with 庆幸 or 感慨. Mostly used as an attribute: 劫后余生的人.
Learn this in Lesson 166 · HSK 7–9: 麋鹿回家 (The Père David’s deer comes home)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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