寿终正寝
shòu zhōng zhèng qǐn
to die of old age, peacefully at home
Character by character
寿shòu
life
life
终zhōng
end
end
正zhèng
main
main
寝qǐn
bedroom
bedroom
Example
爷爷活到九十八岁，在家里寿终正寝。
Grandpa lived to ninety-eight and died peacefully of old age at home.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
正寝 was the main room of a traditional house; to die there, at home and of old age, was counted a blessing, the opposite of dying young or by accident. Also used jokingly of machines and old things: 这台老电脑终于寿终正寝了.
Learn this in Lesson 44 · HSK 5–6: 白事与清明 (Funerals and remembering the dead)
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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