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七十古来稀

七十古來稀
qīshí gǔ lái xī
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 to reach seventy has always been rare
  2. 2 seventy is old age; the source of 古稀 as a term for seventy years old
  3. 3 seventy, rare since olden times

Examples

HSK 7-9
人生七十古来稀，这个寿命在古代很少见。
Rénshēngqīshígǔláixī, zhège shòumìng zài gǔdài hěn shǎojiàn.
'A life of seventy has always been rare' - in ancient times such longevity was uncommon.
HSK 7-9
他办了古稀宴，引用了人生七十古来稀。
Tā bàn le gǔxī yàn, yǐnyòng le rénshēngqīshígǔláixī.
He held his 70th-birthday banquet, quoting 'a life of seventy has always been rare.'

Tips

history
From 杜甫 曲江二首·其二 (Du Fu, Tang, 758): 酒债寻常行处有，人生七十古来稀。穿花蛱蝶深深见，点水蜻蜓款款飞 (Wine debts are common wherever I go; a life of seventy has been rare since ancient times. Butterflies deep among the flowers come into view; dragonflies dot the water, gliding gently). This line gave Chinese the standard term 古稀 for 'seventy years old', still used at 70th-birthday celebrations today.
usage
Usually quoted in its full form 人生七十古来稀. 古稀 alone is a productive noun meaning '70 years old', e.g. 年逾古稀 'past seventy.' Other age honorifics of the same family: 而立 (30), 不惑 (40), 知命 (50), 耳顺 (60), 古稀 (70), 耄耋 (80-90).

Stroke Order

七 qī
十 shí
古 gǔ
来 lái
稀 xī