三生有幸

sānshēngyǒuxìng
idiom #37,778

Meanings

  1. 1 the blessing of three lifetimes
  2. 2 extreme good fortune
  3. 3 what an honor (polite formula)

Examples

Néng jiàndào nín, zhēn shì sānshēngyǒuxìng.
Meeting you is truly the blessing of three lifetimes — what a profound honor.
Néng bài zài dàshī mén xià, tā juéde sānshēngyǒuxìng.
To be accepted as a disciple of the master — he felt it was the honor of three lifetimes.

Tips

history
From the Yuan-dynasty zaju play 《》 (Dōngpō Mèng) by : '老师大名今日三生有幸' — 'Long have I heard the master's name; to behold him today is the fortune of three lifetimes.' 'three lives' draws on the Buddhist 今生来生 (past/present/future life) framework: being lucky across all three is the highest honor imaginable.
register
Formal and slightly old-fashioned — perfect for a written speech, a wedding toast, or meeting someone you genuinely admire. Saying it about a coffee meeting with a coworker would sound comically over-the-top.

Stroke Order

sān
shēng
yǒu
xìng