死命

sǐmìng

adverb #23,602

Meanings

1 desperately
2 for dear life
3 with all one's might
4 stubbornly

Characters

life / fate / order

Examples

他死命地抓住绳子不放。

Tā sǐmìng de zhuāzhù shéngzi bù fàng.

He held onto the rope desperately, refusing to let go.

她死命跑，才赶上了末班车。

Tā sǐmìng pǎo, cái gǎnshàng le mòbānchē.

She ran for dear life and barely caught the last bus.

他死命反对这个提议。

Tā sǐmìng fǎnduì zhège tíyì.

He stubbornly opposed this proposal.

Tips

memory

死 (sǐ) means 'death' and 命 (mìng) means 'life/fate' — together, 死命 evokes the image of staking your very life on something, hence 'desperately' or 'with all one's might.'

Stroke Order

死 sǐ

命 mìng