风烛残年 twilight years
Explanation
比喻人到了接近死亡的晚年。
It describes a person in old age, close to death.
Origin Story
一位德高望重的老人，名叫李先生，他一生致力于研究古代文化，著书立说无数。如今，他已风烛残年，头发花白，步履蹒跚。然而，他依然坚持每天写作，即使身体抱恙，也从不间断。他的书房里，堆满了各种书籍和手稿，空气中弥漫着淡淡的墨香。他常常对着窗外夕阳西下，回忆自己波澜壮阔的一生。他年轻时曾历经磨难，却始终保持着对知识的渴望和对文化的热爱。现在，他虽已风烛残年，但他的精神依然矍铄，他的思想依然活跃，他的笔端依然流淌着智慧的火花。他希望用自己最后的时光，为后人留下更多宝贵的文化遗产。他的故事，如同那风中摇曳的烛火，虽然微弱，却依然闪耀着光芒，照亮着人们前进的道路。
A highly respected elder, Mr. Li, dedicated his life to the study of ancient culture and wrote countless books. Now, in his twilight years, his hair is white and his gait is slow. However, he still insists on writing every day, even when he is unwell. In his study, piles of books and manuscripts are stacked, and the air is filled with a faint scent of ink. He often looks out at the setting sun and recalls his eventful life. In his youth, he experienced many hardships, but he always maintained his thirst for knowledge and love for culture. Now, although he is in his twilight years, his spirit remains strong, his thoughts remain active, and his pen still flows with the spark of wisdom. He hopes to use his remaining time to leave behind more precious cultural heritage for future generations. His story, like a candle flickering in the wind, is weak yet shines brightly, illuminating the path ahead for people.
Usage
用作宾语、定语、分句；比喻人到了接近死亡的晚年。
Used as object, attributive, or clause; describes a person in their old age, close to death.
Examples
-
老先生风烛残年，身体每况愈下。
lǎo xiānsheng fēng zhú cán nián, shēntǐ měikuàng yù xià
The old gentleman is in his twilight years, his health declining.
-
他风烛残年，依然坚持写作。
tā fēng zhú cán nián, yīrán jiānchí xiězuò
In his twilight years, he still persevered in writing.