莫道桑榆晚

mò dào sāngyú wǎn

quotation

Meanings

1 do not say that the mulberry-and-elm hour is late
2 fig. don't say it's too late in life - evening years can still be glorious
3 a rallying line for the elderly

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

莫道桑榆晚，老人还能发挥很大作用。

Mò dào sāngyú wǎn, lǎorén hái néng fāhuī hěn dà zuòyòng.

Don't say the evening of life is late - older people can still contribute greatly.

HSK 7-9

退休后他开始学画画，真是莫道桑榆晚。

Tuìxiū hòu tā kāishǐ xué huàhuà, zhēnshì mò dào sāngyú wǎn.

After retiring he started painting - truly, don't call the twilight years late.

Tips

history

From 刘禹锡 Tang poem 《酬乐天咏老见示》 (In Reply to Bai Juyi's Verse on Old Age): 莫道桑榆晚，为霞尚满天。 - 'Do not say the mulberry-and-elm hour is late; its afterglow still fills the sky.' 桑榆 (the mulberry and elm trees where the setting sun rests) was a classical metaphor for the final stage of life.

usage

Almost always paired with 为霞尚满天. A canonical uplifting line cited at retirement parties, senior-citizen events, and in political speeches about the contributions of elders.

Stroke Order

莫 mò

道 dào

桑 sāng

榆 yú

晚 wǎn