日薄西山

rìbóxīshān

idiom

Meanings

1 the sun sinking toward the western hills
2 nearing the end of life
3 a person or regime in decline

Characters

Examples

老人已经日薄西山，儿孙赶回家探望。

Lǎorén yǐjīng rì bó xī shān, érsūn gǎn huí jiā tànwàng.

The old man was nearing his end, and his descendants rushed home to see him.

这个行业日薄西山，转型势在必行。

Zhè ge hángyè rì bó xī shān, zhuǎnxíng shì zài bì xíng.

This industry is in twilight; transformation is inevitable.

帝国已经日薄西山，再也无力回天。

Dìguó yǐjīng rì bó xī shān, zài yě wúlì huí tiān.

The empire's sun had set — nothing could reverse its fall.

Tips

history

From 晋·李密《陈情表》: 但以刘日薄西山，气息奄奄 — 'only because [grandmother] Liu is like the sun sinking behind the western hills, her breath faint.' Li Mi wrote this to beg off imperial service to care for his dying grandmother; one of the most famous petitions in Chinese history.

Stroke Order

日 rì

薄 báo

西 xī

山 shān