老當益壯

老當益壯

Chinese

		old; aged; venerable old; aged; venerable; outdated; experienced; (affectionate prefix)	to act as; represent; equal to act as; represent; equal; should; fitting; suitable; adequate; proper; replace; to be; to hold a position; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; match equally; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at	benefit; increase	to strengthen; strong; robust
trad. (老當益壯)		老	當	益	壯
simp. (老当益壮)		老	当	益	壮

Etymology

From a quote of Ma Yuan in the Book of the Later Han by 范曄 (Fan Ye):

丈夫為志，窮當益堅，老當益壯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

丈夫为志，穷当益坚，老当益壮。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5^th century CE

Zhàngfū wèi zhì, qióng dāng yì jiān, lǎodāngyìzhuàng. [Pinyin]

When a real man shows resolve, he becomes stronger when in distress, and more ambitious when he ages.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): lǎodāngyìzhuàng

  (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄤ ㄧˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): lou⁵ dong¹ jik¹ zong³
• Min Nan (POJ): ló-tong-ek-chòng

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: lǎodāngyìzhuàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄤ ㄧˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: lǎodangyìjhuàng
    • Wade–Giles: lao³-tang¹-i⁴-chuang⁴
    • Yale: lǎu-dāng-yì-jwàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laodangyihjuanq
    • Palladius: лаоданъичжуан (laodanʺičžuan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ tɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂwɑŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: lou⁵ dong¹ jik¹ zong³
    • Yale: lóuh dōng yīk jong
    • Cantonese Pinyin: lou⁵ dong¹ jik⁷ dzong³
    • Guangdong Romanization: lou⁵ dong¹ yig¹ zong³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lou̯¹³ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ jɪk̚⁵ t͡sɔːŋ³³/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ló-tong-ek-chòng
    • Tâi-lô: ló-tong-ik-tsòng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: loy'dong'ekzoxng
    • IPA (Xiamen): /lo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² iɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sɔŋ²¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: /lɑu^X  tɑŋ  ʔiᴇk̚  t͡ʃɨɐŋ^H/

Rime
Character	老	當	益	壯
Reading #	1/1	1/2	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	來 (37)	端 (5)	影 (34)	莊 (18)
Final (韻)	豪 (89)	唐 (101)	清 (123)	陽 (105)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)	Level (Ø)	Checked (Ø)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	I	III	III
Fanqie	盧晧切	都郎切	伊昔切	側亮切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/lɑuX/	/tɑŋ/	/ʔiᴇk̚/	/t͡ʃɨɐŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/lɑuX/	/tɑŋ/	/ʔiɛk̚/	/ʈ͡ʂiɐŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/lɑuX/	/tɑŋ/	/ʔiæk̚/	/t͡ʃiɑŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/lawX/	/taŋ/	/ʔiajk̚/	/ʈ͡ʂɨaŋH/
Li Rong	/lɑuX/	/tɑŋ/	/ʔiɛk̚/	/t͡ʃiaŋH/
Wang Li	/lɑuX/	/tɑŋ/	/ĭɛk̚/	/t͡ʃĭaŋH/
Bernard Karlgren	/lɑuX/	/tɑŋ/	/ʔi̯ɛk̚/	/ʈ͡ʂi̯aŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	lǎo	dāng	yi	zhuàng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	lou5	dong1	jik1	zong3

Idiom

老當益壯

1. to have one's ambition or resolve growing stronger even though he or she is old

   • 老當益壯，寧移白首之心？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     老当益壮，宁移白首之心？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 7th century, 王勃 (Wang Bo), 《滕王閣序》

     Lǎodāngyìzhuàng, níng yí báishǒu zhī xīn? [Pinyin]

     Though being old, we should be more ambitious; how can we change our ambitions when our hair is greying?