白了少年头

白了少年頭

bái le shàonián tóu

quotation

Meanings

1 youthful hair has turned white
2 to waste one's youth in inaction or grief
3 (lit.) whitened the youth's head

Characters

white; (here) to turn white

(completed action marker)

year(s) (少年 = youth)

Examples

HSK 7-9

莫等闲，白了少年头，空悲切。

Mò děng xián, bái le shàonián tóu, kōng bēi qiè.

Don't idle away the days, only to see youthful hair turn white and regret it in vain.

HSK 7-9

别再拖延了，真怕白了少年头。

Bié zài tuōyán le, zhēn pà bái le shàonián tóu.

Stop procrastinating. I'm afraid we'll waste our youth away.

Tips

history

From Yue Fei's (岳飞, Southern Song) 满江红: 莫等闲，白了少年头，空悲切. (Do not idle, lest youthful hair turn white, and grief come in vain.) Written by the general as he urged himself and his men not to waste the chance to reclaim lost northern territories from the Jurchen Jin.

usage

Almost always quoted with the preceding 莫等闲 and following 空悲切. Common motivational line for students, entrepreneurs, and anyone tempted to procrastinate.

Stroke Order

白 bái

了 le

少 shǎo

年 nián

头 tóu