Chinese character for forever: 永远 (yǒngyuǎn)
The Chinese word for forever is 永远 (yǒngyuǎn). It means forever or always, as in 永远爱你 (yǒngyuǎn ài nǐ, love you forever). There is no single everyday character that means forever on its own.
How 永远 is built
永 (yǒng) is an old picture of a river with branching streams, water flowing on and on, so it means long and lasting. It is also famous among calligraphers because it contains the eight basic strokes. 远 (yuǎn) joins the movement radical 辶 with 元 (yuán) for the sound and means far. Its traditional form is 遠. Together, 永远 is lasting and far-reaching: forever.
永 yǒng · long
- 水shuǐ — water
- 亅 — hook
远 yuǎn · far
- 辶 — walking, moving
- 元yuán — yuan
- 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 儿ér — child
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 乚 — hook stroke
- 二 — two strokes
Origin hint: 辶 gives the meaning, 元 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
How 永远 is used
Other ways to say forever
- 永恒 yǒnghéng — eternal, eternity; more formal and poetic
- 永 yǒng — eternal, perpetual; a single character used in names
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: Use 永远 (traditional 永遠) in phrases like 永远爱你; on its own 永 means 'eternal' but is less clear as 'forever'.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for forever?
永远 (yǒngyuǎn) means “forever”. In traditional characters it is written 永遠.
How do you pronounce 永远?
永远 is pronounced yǒngyuǎn.
Is 永远 simplified or traditional?
永远 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore; 永遠 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong.