世 shì — life; age; generation; era; world; lifetime
这是世界上最高的山。Zhè shì shì jiè shàng zuì gāo de shān.This is the tallest mountain in the world.
Common words: 世界 (shì jiè)、世纪 (shì jì)、去世 (qù shì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "lifetime"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "lifetime", including 世 (shì), 辈 (bèi). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "lifetime" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 世 (shì), 辈 (bèi) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shì, bèi — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 世 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 世 shìlife; age; generation; era; world; lifetimeUseful words: 世界, 世纪
- 辈 bèicontemporaries; generation; lifetimeUseful words: 一辈子, 长辈
Common words for these 2 "lifetime" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 世 (shì) — so "lifetime" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "lifetime".
辈 bèi — contemporaries; generation; lifetime
我们要尊敬长辈，关心晚辈。Wǒ men yào zūn jìng zhǎng bèi, guān xīn wǎn bèi.We should respect our elders and care for the younger generation.
Common words: 一辈子 (yī bèi zi)、长辈 (zhǎng bèi)、前辈 (qián bèi)
All 2 characters
Open 世、辈 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.