使老有所终

使老有所終

shǐlǎoyǒusuǒzhōng

phrase

Meanings

1 to let the aged have a secure end to their days
2 to provide elders with a proper final stage of life
3 lit. cause the old to have a place to end

Characters

old; the elderly

place (where); that which

Examples

建设养老院是为了使老有所终。

Jiànshè yǎnglǎoyuàn shì wèile shǐ lǎo yǒu suǒ zhōng.

Building nursing homes is a way to let the elderly have a secure end to their days.

古人理想的大同社会，第一条就是使老有所终。

Gǔrén lǐxiǎng de dàtóng shèhuì, dì yī tiáo jiùshì shǐ lǎo yǒu suǒ zhōng.

In the ancients' ideal of the Great Harmony society, the first item is to let the aged have a secure end.

Tips

history

From 《礼记·礼运》, the 大同 (Great Harmony) passage traditionally attributed to Confucius's description of the ideal society: 使老有所终，壮有所用，幼有所长 — 'Let the aged have a place to end their days, the able-bodied have a place to use their strength, the young have a place to grow up.' The foundational Confucian vision of social welfare, heavily invoked in modern PRC policy rhetoric on aging.

usage

Almost always quoted as part of the triplet with 壮有所用、幼有所长. The verb 使 here is causative: 'to make / let'.

Stroke Order

使 shǐ

老 lǎo

有 yǒu

所 suǒ

终 zhōng