Meaning of 一辈子
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- (for) a lifetime
How to use 一辈子
一辈子 means a whole lifetime and is often used for strong feelings, promises, or regrets. It can stand before a verb as a time phrase or come after one. Example: 我会爱你一辈子。(Wǒ huì ài nǐ yībèizi.) I will love you for my whole life.
一 (yī) means one, and 辈 (bèi) means a generation, so 一辈子 is your one generation on earth, your whole life. The 子 (zi) at the end is just a noun suffix, like in 孩子 (háizi).
Common mistake: Learners often write the tone of 一 as yī every time. In speech it changes to yí before the fourth tone of 辈, so it sounds like yíbèizi. Also, 子 here is neutral tone (zi), not zǐ.
一辈子 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
一 yī · one · 1 strokes
- 1
辈 bèi · lifetime · 12 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
子 zi · noun suffix · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Related words
Words that share a character with 一辈子.
| 一起 | yīqǐ | (in) the same place; together; in company (with) |
| 孩子 | háizi | child |
| 一样 | yīyàng | same; like |
| 一些 | yīxiē | some; a few; a little; (following an adjective) slightly ...er |
| 儿子 | érzi | son |
| 房子 | fángzi | house; building (single- or two-story) |
| 一会儿 | yīhuìr | a moment; a while |
| 一半 | yībàn | half |
| 一边 | yībiān | one side; either side |
| 桌子 | zhuōzi | table; desk |
| 杯子 | bēizi | cup; glass |
| 一点儿 | yīdiǎnr | erhua variant of 一點|一点[yi1 dian3] |
Questions about 一辈子
What does 一辈子 mean?
一辈子 (yībèizi) means "(for) a lifetime" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 一辈子?
一辈子 is made of 3 characters: 一 (1 strokes), 辈 (12 strokes), 子 (3 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 一辈子 an HSK word?
Yes. 一辈子 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 一辈子 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 一辈子 is written 一輩子.
What is the difference between 一辈子 and 一生?
Both mean a lifetime. 一辈子 is more spoken and warm, while 一生 (yīshēng) sounds more formal or literary and is common in writing.
How do I say 'never in my life' with 一辈子?
Use 一辈子 with 都 or 也 and a negative, as in 我一辈子都没去过北京 (Wǒ yībèizi dōu méi qùguo Běijīng), I have never been to Beijing in my whole life.