有生之年

yǒushēngzhīnián

idiom #15,938

Meanings

1 during one's lifetime
2 while one is on this earth
3 in one's remaining years

Characters

to have; there is

life; to be born

of (literary particle)

Examples

我希望有生之年能去一次南极。

Wǒ xīwàng yǒushēngzhīnián néng qù yī cì Nánjí.

I hope to visit Antarctica in my lifetime.

有生之年竟然能看到这一天！

Yǒushēngzhīnián jìngrán néng kàn dào zhè yī tiān!

I never thought I'd live to see this day!

Tips

usage

Often used to express that something is a long-held dream or seems almost impossible. The internet generation uses it sarcastically for things that take forever, like waiting for a game sequel or a friend to reply.

Stroke Order

有 yǒu

生 shēng

之 zhī

年 nián