天长地久

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: tiān cháng dì jiǔ
• English Translation: Everlasting and unchanging, lasting as long as heaven and earth
• Idiom Composition: 「天」（Heaven, sky）＋「长」（Long, lasting）＋「地」（Earth, ground）＋「久」（Long time, enduring）
• Meaning: Refers to something lasting forever and unchanging, like the eternal existence of heaven and earth. It is often used to express wishes for everlasting love or friendship.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「天长地久」 contains the following nuances:

• Eternity: Expresses something that lasts for an extremely long time or forever, like heaven and earth.
• Unchanging nature: Indicates that the nature or state of something does not change over time.
• Deep love and friendship: Often used to express the lasting nature of relationships such as romantic love or friendship.
• Words of blessing: Used as a blessing in celebrations like weddings, wishing for happiness to last forever.

3. Usage

「天长地久」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Expressing love: Used to wish for everlasting love between lovers or spouses.
  • Example:「他们的爱情故事真是天长地久，让人羡慕。」
    （Their love story is truly everlasting, making others envious.）
• Expressing friendship: Expresses the hope that a long-lasting friendship will continue unchanged.
  • Example:「这份友谊历经风雨，天长地久。」
    （This friendship has endured many hardships and is everlasting.）
• Words of blessing: Used as congratulatory words in weddings or anniversaries.
  • Example:「祝愿你们的婚姻天长地久，白头偕老。」
    （Wishing your marriage to be everlasting, growing old together in happiness.）
• Business and cooperation: Used to wish for the long-term continuation of business or cooperative relationships.
  • Example:「希望我们的合作能够天长地久，共创辉煌。」
    （I hope our cooperation will be everlasting and together we create a brilliant future.）

Additional Examples:

1. 他们合作多年，关系一直天长地久。
   （They have cooperated for many years, and their relationship is everlasting.）
2. 这份友谊天长地久，永远不会改变。
   （This friendship is everlasting and will never change.）
3. 我希望我们的爱情能够天长地久。
   （I hope our love can be everlasting.）
4. 虽然时光流逝，但他们的感情依然天长地久。
   （Although time passes, their feelings remain everlasting.）
5. 这座古老的建筑见证了无数天长地久的爱情故事。
   （This ancient building has witnessed countless everlasting love stories.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• In ancient China, heaven and earth were revered as the origins of all things and eternal, unchanging entities. The idiom '天长地久' originates from this belief.
• Traditional Chinese culture values the continuity and stability of things. '天长地久' reflects these values and is used to wish for the lasting nature of love, friendship, and business relationships.
• '天长地久' is a somewhat romantic and poetic expression. It may sound exaggerated if used in everyday conversation, so caution is advised.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 海枯石烂 (hǎi kū shí làn): The sea dries up and the rocks crumble; a metaphor for something that remains unchanged for an extremely long time.
  • 永垂不朽 (yǒng chuí bù xiǔ): Refers to fame or achievements that are immortal and passed down through generations.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 昙花一现 (tán huā yí xiàn): Like the bloom of a night-blooming cereus, something that appears briefly and then vanishes.
  • 过眼云烟 (guò yǎn yún yān): Like passing clouds or smoke, something fleeting and transient.

6. Summary

'天长地久' is a beautiful idiom likening the eternity of heaven and earth to the lasting nature of love, friendship, and business. It reflects traditional Chinese values and worldview, and understanding its background allows for a deeper appreciation. However, as it is somewhat romantic, care should be taken regarding the context in which it is used.