shòumìng: 寿命 - Lifespan, Life Expectancy

• Keywords: shouming meaning, 寿命 meaning, lifespan in Chinese, life expectancy Chinese, Chinese word for life, longevity in Chinese, shou character, ming character, product life cycle Chinese
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 寿命 (shòumìng), the Chinese word for “lifespan” or “life expectancy.” This guide explores its cultural significance tied to longevity and blessings, its practical use for both people and products (like battery life), and how it differs from the concept of “life” (生命, shēngmìng). Learn through clear character breakdowns, cultural insights, and 10 practical example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shòu mìng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: The length of time that a person, animal, or object lives or is able to function.
• In a Nutshell: `寿命` is the standard term for the total duration of a life, from beginning to end. Think of it as the *quantity* of life, not the quality. While it most often refers to living beings, it's also very commonly used in a modern, technical sense to describe the functional life of an inanimate object, like a car or a smartphone.

• 寿 (shòu): This character means “longevity” or “long life.” It is one of the most auspicious characters in Chinese culture. You will often see it artistically written on posters, cakes, and gifts for the birthdays of elderly people, carrying a powerful wish for a long and healthy life.
• 命 (mìng): This character means “life,” but it also carries connotations of “fate,” “destiny,” or a “command” (from heaven). It refers to the fundamental state of being alive.
• When combined, 寿命 (shòumìng) literally translates to “longevity life.” The pairing perfectly captures the idea of measuring the entire length of a fated life, creating a specific term for “lifespan.”

In Chinese culture, the pursuit of a long life, or 长寿 (chángshòu), is a deeply ingrained traditional value. `寿命` is therefore not just a neutral, biological term; it's a concept loaded with cultural hopes and wishes. Many traditions, from dietary habits in traditional Chinese medicine to the practice of Qigong, are aimed at extending one's `寿命`. Symbols of longevity are everywhere in Chinese art and folklore: cranes, pine trees, and most famously, the “longevity peach” (寿桃, shòutáo), which is a type of sweet bun often eaten at birthday celebrations for seniors. This contrasts with a common Western perspective where “lifespan” is often a purely statistical or scientific term used by doctors and demographers. While people in the West certainly want to live long, the cultural emphasis is often placed more on “quality of life” or “living life to the fullest” within a given time. In China, the duration of life itself is seen as a primary blessing and a sign of good fortune. A long `寿命` is traditionally considered one of the greatest forms of success and a fulfillment of filial duty to one's ancestors.

`寿命` is used in both formal, scientific contexts and in everyday metaphorical ways.

• Scientific and Formal Use: This is the most direct usage. You will see it in news articles, documentaries, and health reports discussing the average `寿命` of a nation's population, or the `寿命` of different animal species.
• Metaphorical Use for Products: This is extremely common in modern Mandarin. Any object with a finite functional period has a `寿命`. You'll talk about your phone's battery life (电池寿命), the lifespan of your car's tires (轮胎寿命), or even the life cycle of a company (公司的寿命).
• Conversational Use: It can sound a bit formal or serious when talking about a person's life directly. You wouldn't ask a young person about their `寿命`. However, it's used when discussing health trends, lifestyle choices, or reflecting on the long life of an elderly relative who has passed away.

• Example 1:
  • 随着医疗条件的改善，人类的平均寿命大大延长了。
  • Pinyin: Suízhe yīliáo tiáojiàn de gǎishàn, rénlèi de píngjūn shòumìng dàdà yáncháng le.
  • English: As medical conditions have improved, the average human lifespan has been greatly extended.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, formal use of `寿命` in a scientific or sociological context. `平均寿命` (píngjūn shòumìng) specifically means “average lifespan” or “life expectancy.”
• Example 2:
  • 这款手机的电池寿命很长，可以用一整天。
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn shǒujī de diànchí shòumìng hěn cháng, kěyǐ yòng yī zhěng tiān.
  • English: This phone's battery life is very long; it can last the whole day.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the extremely common metaphorical use for products. `电池寿命` (diànchí shòumìng) is the standard term for “battery life.”
• Example 3:
  • 乌龟的寿命是出了名的长。
  • Pinyin: Wūguī de shòumìng shì chū le míng de cháng.
  • English: The lifespan of a tortoise is famously long.
  • Analysis: A straightforward biological example, used when discussing animals.
• Example 4:
  • 保持良好的生活习惯可以延长你的寿命。
  • Pinyin: Bǎochí liánghǎo de shēnghuó xíguàn kěyǐ yáncháng nǐ de shòumìng.
  • English: Maintaining good lifestyle habits can extend your lifespan.
  • Analysis: This is a common phrase used in health advice. `延长寿命` (yáncháng shòumìng) means “to extend/prolong lifespan.”
• Example 5:
  • 作为一个职业运动员，他的运动寿命可能不会很长。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī gè zhíyè yùndòngyuán, tā de yùndòng shòumìng kěnéng bù huì hěn cháng.
  • English: As a professional athlete, his career lifespan might not be very long.
  • Analysis: This is a more abstract, figurative use. `运动寿命` (yùndòng shòumìng) refers to the duration of an athlete's professional career.
• Example 6:
  • 这台机器的设计寿命是十年。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tái jīqì de shèjì shòumìng shì shí nián.
  • English: The designed lifespan of this machine is ten years.
  • Analysis: Used in an engineering or industrial context. `设计寿命` (shèjì shòumìng) is a technical term for “design life.”
• Example 7:
  • 他不关心寿命的长短，只在乎生活是否精彩。
  • Pinyin: Tā bù guānxīn shòumìng de chángduǎn, zhǐ zàihū shēnghuó shìfǒu jīngcǎi.
  • English: He doesn't care about the length of his lifespan, only whether his life is exciting.
  • Analysis: This sentence philosophically contrasts the quantity of life (`寿命`) with the quality of life (`生活`).
• Example 8:
  • 在古代，皇帝们总是在寻找能够增加寿命的灵丹妙药。
  • Pinyin: Zài gǔdài, huángdìmen zǒngshì zài xúnzhǎo nénggòu zēngjiā shòumìng de líng dān miào yào.
  • English: In ancient times, emperors were always searching for miracle elixirs that could increase their lifespan.
  • Analysis: This provides historical and cultural context, linking `寿命` to the quest for immortality.
• Example 9:
  • 任何企业都有自己的寿命周期。
  • Pinyin: Rènhé qǐyè dōu yǒu zìjǐ de shòumìng zhōuqī.
  • English: Every enterprise has its own life cycle.
  • Analysis: A business context. `寿命周期` (shòumìng zhōuqī) means “life cycle.”
• Example 10:
  • 过度的压力会缩短人的寿命。
  • Pinyin: Guòdù de yālì huì suōduǎn rén de shòumìng.
  • English: Excessive stress can shorten a person's lifespan.
  • Analysis: Another common health-related sentence. `缩短` (suōduǎn - to shorten) is the opposite of `延长` (yáncháng - to extend).

The most critical mistake for learners is confusing `寿命 (shòumìng)` with `生命 (shēngmìng)`. They may seem similar, but their meanings are distinct.

• `寿命 (shòumìng)` = Lifespan (Duration)
  • This is about the length or quantity of life. It's a measure of time.
  • Correct: 狗的寿命比人短。(Gǒu de shòumìng bǐ rén duǎn.) - A dog's lifespan is shorter than a human's.
• `生命 (shēngmìng)` = Life (The Concept/State)
  • This is about the state or phenomenon of being alive. It is abstract and uncountable.
  • Correct: 生命是宝贵的。(Shēngmìng shì bǎoguì de.) - Life is precious.

Common Mistake Example:

• Incorrect: 他的生命很长。(Tā de shēngmìng hěn cháng.)
• Why it's wrong: This literally means “His state of being alive is long,” which sounds unnatural. You are trying to talk about the duration, not the concept.
• Correct: 他的寿命很长。(Tā de shòumìng hěn cháng.) - His lifespan is long. (Or more naturally, 他很长寿 - Tā hěn chángshòu - He is long-lived.)

• 生命 (shēngmìng) - The state or concept of “life” itself. The key term to distinguish from `寿命`.
• 长寿 (chángshòu) - Longevity; the desirable quality of having a long lifespan.
• 预期寿命 (yùqī shòumìng) - Life expectancy. A more specific, statistical term often used in official reports.
• 年龄 (niánlíng) - A person's current age. This is how many years you've lived so far, whereas `寿命` is the total length.
• 命运 (mìngyùn) - Fate or destiny. It shares the character `命` and relates to the fated course of one's life.
• 延年益寿 (yán nián yì