历久弥新
lì jiǔ mí xīn
to stay fresh, even grow fresher, with the years
Character by character
历lì
through
through
久jiǔ
long
long
弥mí
all the more
all the more
新xīn
new
new
Example
两位老人的友谊历久弥新，六十年来一直互相写信。
The two old men’s friendship has only grown fresher with time: they have written to each other for sixty years.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
弥 is literary “all the more”. Said of classics, friendships, values and traditions: 历久弥新的经典, 友谊历久弥新. Written and complimentary; do not use it of things that are merely old.
Learn this in Lesson 243 · HSK 9+: 从周璇到邓丽君 (From Zhou Xuan to Teresa Teng)
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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