bēi悲sorrowhuān欢joylí离separationhé合reunion
Joys and sorrows, partings and reunions; the vicissitudes of life.
Literal meaning
sorrow (悲) — joy (欢) — separation (离) — reunion (合)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase describing the ups and downs of life.
Examples
rénshēng chōngmǎn le bēihuān-líhé.人生充满了悲欢离合。
Life is full of joys and sorrows, partings and reunions.
tāmen jīnglì le xǔduō bēihuān-líhé.他们经历了许多悲欢离合。
They experienced many ups and downs in life.
Usage & nuances
Emphasizes the cyclical nature of human experience.
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