Definition
生离死别 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) that describes the pain of being separated from loved ones while alive or parted by death. It refers to the deepest sorrow of forced separation — whether through war, fate, or tragic circumstances — and is used to evoke intense emotional grief. Learners should treat it as a fixed expression rather than a literal sequence.
f.e.
the bitter sorrow of separation in life and parting by deatha tragicforced parting
Examples
- ，生离死别。Jīnglì guò zhànzhēng de rén, dōu míngbai shēng lí sǐ bié de tòngkǔ.People who have experienced war understand the pain of being separated in life and parted by death.
- ，生离死别。Zhè duì liànrén bèipò fēnkāi, zhēn shì shēng lí sǐ bié.This couple was forced apart — truly a bitter separation of life and death.
- 生离死别，。Xiǎoshuō zhōng miáoxiě de shēng lí sǐ bié qíngjié, ràng dúzhě shífēn gǎndòng.The novel's portrayal of the sorrow of lifelong separation moved readers deeply.
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