luòyèguīgēn: 落叶归根 - Fallen leaves return to their roots; To return home in old age

• Keywords: luoyeguigen, luo ye gui gen, 落叶归根, fallen leaves return to their roots meaning, Chinese idiom for returning home, return to one's roots, homecoming in old age, Chinese diaspora, cultural value of hometown, ancestral home.
• Summary: The Chinese idiom 落叶归根 (luò yè guī gēn) literally translates to “fallen leaves return to their roots.” It's a powerful and poetic metaphor expressing the deep-seated cultural belief that a person should ultimately return to their ancestral home or place of origin, especially in their old age. This concept reflects the profound importance of family, ancestry, and one's hometown in Chinese culture, capturing a universal longing for belonging and the desire to complete life's journey where it began.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): luò yè guī gēn
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) - Idiom
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: Fallen leaves return to the roots; to return to one's ancestral home to live out one's final years.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a tree in autumn. Its leaves, which have been away from the trunk all summer, finally fall and land at the base of the tree, nourishing the roots from which they came. `落叶归根` uses this natural image to describe a person's journey. After a lifetime of working or living far away, there is a natural and powerful pull to return to one's hometown. It's not just about homesickness; it's about a sense of completion, of returning to one's source.

• 落 (luò): To fall, to drop.
• 叶 (yè): A leaf.
• 归 (guī): To return, to go back to.
• 根 (gēn): The root of a plant.

Together, `落叶` means “falling leaves” and `归根` means “return to the roots.” The combination creates a vivid and universally understood image that is then applied metaphorically to the human experience.

• `落叶归根` is more than just a saying; it's a window into the Chinese worldview. It's deeply connected to the values of family, ancestry, and the concept of a “hometown” (故乡 - gùxiāng). In traditional Chinese culture, a person's identity is inextricably linked to the place their family comes from. To be buried in one's ancestral land is to find ultimate peace and show respect to one's ancestors.
• Comparison to Western Culture: In many Western cultures, especially American culture, the emphasis is often on individualism, forging one's own path, and the idea that “home is where you make it.” While people may feel nostalgic for their childhood town, there isn't the same deep-seated cultural expectation or spiritual significance attached to returning there permanently at the end of life. `落叶归根` contrasts with this by representing a cyclical journey and a return to a collective origin, rather than a linear path of individual achievement. For many Chinese, especially of the older generation, retiring anywhere but their hometown might feel incomplete or unsettling.

• This idiom is still very much alive in modern China, though its application has broadened. It is considered formal and carries a poignant, sentimental connotation.
• Overseas Chinese: It's frequently used to describe the feelings of first-generation Chinese immigrants who have lived abroad for decades but wish to retire in China. News articles often feature stories of successful individuals who choose to `落叶归根`.
• Domestic Migration: With millions of people leaving their rural hometowns to work in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, `落叶归根` describes the common long-term plan of returning to their village after they've finished their careers and saved enough money.
• Figurative Usage: While less common, it can be used more abstractly to mean “returning to the source” or “getting back to basics” in a philosophical or business context. For instance, a company that lost its way might `落叶归根` by returning to its original mission.

• Example 1:
  • 他在国外生活了五十年，但一直希望能落叶归根。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài guówài shēnghuó le wǔshí nián, dànshì yīzhí xīwàng néng luò yè guī gēn.
  • English: He lived abroad for fifty years, but always hoped to return to his homeland in his old age.
  • Analysis: This is a classic use of the idiom, expressing the long-held wish of an overseas Chinese person to return home permanently.
• Example 2:
  • 对很多老人来说，落叶归根是他们最大的心愿。
  • Pinyin: Duì hěn duō lǎorén lái shuō, luò yè guī gēn shì tāmen zuìdà de xīnyuàn.
  • English: For many elderly people, returning to their roots is their greatest wish.
  • Analysis: This sentence generalizes the concept, presenting it as a common and deeply felt desire among the elderly.
• Example 3:
  • 这位著名的科学家晚年选择回国，可以说是落叶归根了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi zhùmíng de kēxuéjiā wǎnnián xuǎnzé huíguó, kěyǐ shuō shì luò yè guī gēn le.
  • English: This famous scientist chose to return to his country in his later years; you could say it's a case of a fallen leaf returning to its roots.
  • Analysis: Here, `可以说 (kěyǐ shuō)` softens the statement, framing the scientist's return as an embodiment of this cultural idea.
• Example 4:
  • 爷爷常说，等他老了，一定要回老家，那才叫落叶归根。
  • Pinyin: Yéye cháng shuō, děng tā lǎo le, yīdìng yào huí lǎojiā, nà cái jiào luò yè guī gēn.
  • English: Grandpa often says that when he gets old, he must go back to his hometown. Only that can be called “returning to one's roots.”
  • Analysis: This highlights the personal and emotional weight of the term. For the grandfather, only returning to his specific `老家 (lǎojiā - old home/hometown)` fulfills this ideal.
• Example 5:
  • 电影的结尾，主角终于回到了他阔别多年的故乡，实现了落叶归根的梦想。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐng de jiéwěi, zhǔjué zhōngyú huídào le tā kuòbié duōnián de gùxiāng, shíxiàn le luò yè guī gēn de mèngxiǎng.
  • English: At the end of the movie, the protagonist finally returned to the hometown he had been away from for many years, fulfilling his dream of returning to his roots.
  • Analysis: This shows how the idiom is often used in storytelling and media to provide a sense of closure and emotional resolution.
• Example 6:
  • 不管走多远，中国人的心中总有落叶归根的情结。
  • Pinyin: Bùguǎn zǒu duō yuǎn, Zhōngguó rén de xīnzhōng zǒng yǒu luò yè guī gēn de qíngjié.
  • English: No matter how far they go, Chinese people always have a deep-seated feeling about returning to their roots.
  • Analysis: `情结 (qíngjié)` means a “complex” or deep-seated feeling. This sentence describes `落叶归根` as a core part of the Chinese cultural psyche.
• Example 7:
  • 很多年轻人为了工作离开家乡，但他们父母希望他们最终能够落叶归根。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīng rén wèile gōngzuò líkāi jiāxiāng, dàn tāmen fùmǔ xīwàng tāmen zuìzhōng nénggòu luò yè guī gēn.
  • English: Many young people leave their hometowns for work, but their parents hope they will eventually be able to return home for good.
  • Analysis: This example shows the inter-generational aspect of the concept, where it is a wish held by parents for their children.
• Example 8:
  • 我们的公司起源于此，现在将总部迁回这里，也算是一种落叶归根。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de gōngsī qǐyuán yú cǐ, xiànzài jiāng zǒngbù qiān huí zhèlǐ, yě suànshì yīzhǒng luò yè guī gēn.
  • English: Our company originated here, and now we are moving the headquarters back; you could consider it a kind of “returning to our roots.”
  • Analysis: A good example of the figurative use. It applies the human concept to a corporate entity, giving the business decision a sense of history and purpose.
• Example 9:
  • “落叶归根”这个成语，体现了中国人对故乡的深厚感情。
  • Pinyin: “Luò yè guī gēn” zhège chéngyǔ, tǐxiàn le Zhōngguó rén duì gùxiāng de shēnhòu gǎnqíng.
  • English: The idiom “luoyeguigen” reflects the deep feelings Chinese people have for their hometown.
  • Analysis: This is a meta-sentence, explaining the meaning of the idiom itself, perfect for when you're teaching the concept to someone.
• Example 10:
  • 即使他已经不能说话，但从他的眼神里，我能看出他想落叶归根。
  • Pinyin: Jíshǐ tā yǐjīng bùnéng shuōhuà, dàn cóng tā de yǎnshén lǐ, wǒ néng kàn chū tā xiǎng luò yè guī gēn.
  • English: Even though he could no longer speak, I could see in his eyes that he wanted to return to his homeland for good.
  • Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the non-verbal, deeply instinctual nature of this desire, especially near the end of life.

• Not for Short Trips: A common mistake is to use `落叶归根` for temporary visits. It is not the same as `回家 (huí jiā - to go home)`. Going home for a holiday or a summer break is `回家`. `落叶归根` implies a permanent return after a long absence, usually to retire or live out one's final days. Using it for a weekend trip would sound overly dramatic and incorrect.
• Finality and Age: The idiom carries a strong sense of finality and is most appropriately used for older individuals or those at the end of a long career. It would be very strange to say a 25-year-old who just moved to a new city wants to `落叶归根` already. The “leaf” must first live its life on the branch before it can “fall.”
• False Friend: “Returning to your roots”: While “returning to your roots” is the best translation, the English phrase can sometimes mean simply re-exploring your heritage or visiting your hometown. The Chinese `落叶归根` is much stronger and more permanent, often implying a physical relocation for the final chapter of one's life.

• 故乡 (gùxiāng) - Hometown; native place. This is the “根” (root) where one desires to return.
• 返乡 (fǎnxiāng) - To return to one's village/hometown. A more formal and literal verb describing the action of going back.
• 安土重迁 (ān tǔ zhòng qiān) - An idiom meaning “to be attached to one's native land and reluctant to move.” It explains the cultural value that gives rise to the desire for `落叶归根`.
• 寻根 (xún gēn) - To seek one's roots. This is often used by second or third-generation immigrants who travel to China to connect with their ancestral heritage.
• 乡愁 (xiāngchóu) - Homesickness; nostalgia for one's hometown. This is the powerful emotion that often drives the desire to `落叶归根`.
• 荣归故里 (róng guī gù lǐ) - To return to one's hometown in glory. This is a specific, celebratory type of homecoming after achieving great success.
• 背井离乡 (bèijǐnglíxiāng) - To leave one's native place (literally “to turn one's back on the well and leave the village”). This is the antonym or the beginning of the journey that ends with `落叶归根`.