休养生息

休養生息

xiūyǎngshēngxī

idiom #47,579

Meanings

1 to rest and recuperate (idiom)
2 (esp. of a country after war) to recover strength and let the population grow

Characters

to nurture; recover

to produce; give birth

to breathe; multiply

Examples

战争结束后，国家需要时间休养生息。

Zhànzhēng jiéshù hòu, guójiā xūyào shíjiān xiūyǎngshēngxī.

After the war ended, the country needed time to recover.

他辞职回乡，打算休养生息几年。

Tā cízhí huí xiāng, dǎsuàn xiūyǎngshēngxī jǐ nián.

He resigned and went home, planning to rest and recover for a few years.

Tips

history

From Han Yu's 《平淮西碑》: '高宗中睿，休养生息' — describing Tang emperors giving the exhausted populace time to recover after war. Classical context is still the core meaning; personal use is a natural extension.

Stroke Order

休 xiū

养 yǎng

生 shēng

息 xī