Definition
绝后 is a separable verb-object compound (离合词) with two main senses. The literal meaning is 'to have no descendants' — you can split it as 绝了后 ('cut off the lineage'). It also appears in the four-character idiom 空前绝后 ('unprecedented and never to be repeated'), where 绝后 means 'never to be seen again'. When used independently, context determines which sense applies.
v.o.
to have no descendantsto die without issue(in 空前绝后) never to be repeatedunparalleled
Examples
- ，。Tā jiā sān dài dān chuán, dào tā jiù jué le hòu.His family had only one son for three generations, and with him the line ended.
- 。Zhè fú huà de jìyì kān chēng kōng qián jué hòu.The technique of this painting can be called unprecedented and unmatched.
- ，，绝后。Gǔ shíhou rénmen rènwéi bú xiào yǒu sān, wú hòu wéi dà, suǒyǐ hěn pà jué hòu.In ancient times people believed that of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants was the worst, so they greatly feared dying without issue.
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