残生

殘生

cánshēng

noun #43,550

Meanings

1 the remaining years of one's life
2 twilight years
3 what is left of one's life (often after misfortune)

Characters

remaining; damaged

Examples

HSK 7-9

他打算把残生献给慈善事业。

Tā dǎsuan bǎ cánshēng xiàngěi císhàn shìyè.

He plans to devote his remaining years to charity work.

HSK 7-9

战争结束后，老人在乡下度过了残生。

Zhànzhēng jiéshù hòu, lǎorén zài xiāngxia dùguò le cánshēng.

After the war ended, the old man spent the rest of his life in the countryside.

Tips

register

Literary, often somber. 残 (remaining / what's left) carries an implication of damage or fragility, so 残生 sounds heavier than the neutral 余生 ('the rest of one's life'). Pick 余生 for ordinary contexts; reserve 残生 for hardship, illness, or postwar themes.

Stroke Order

残 cán

生 shēng