老当益壮

老當益壯

lǎodāngyìzhuàng

idiom #37,749

Meanings

1 old but vigorous
2 hale and hearty despite the years
3 going strong in old age

Characters

strong, vigorous

Examples

爷爷七十岁还在跑马拉松，真是老当益壮。

Yéye qīshí suì hái zài pǎo mǎlāsōng, zhēn shì lǎodāngyìzhuàng.

Grandpa is still running marathons at seventy — truly going strong in old age.

他老当益壮，依然每天工作十小时。

Tā lǎodāngyìzhuàng, yīrán měitiān gōngzuò shí xiǎoshí.

He's hale and hearty despite his age, still working ten hours a day.

Tips

history

From 《后汉书·马援传》, the biography of Eastern Han general Ma Yuan (14 BCE-49 CE): '丈夫为志，穷当益坚，老当益壮' — 'A man's resolve should grow firmer in adversity and stronger in old age.' Ma Yuan led troops into battle in his sixties; the phrase became the canonical praise for vigorous elders.

Stroke Order

老 lǎo

当 dāng

益 yì

壮 zhuàng