Meaning
永远
yǒng yuǎn
Forever
- 永
- forever
- 远
- far, distant
The everyday word for forever, as in love you forever.
Forever in Chinese
The Chinese word for forever is 永远 (yǒng yuǎn). The everyday word for forever, as in love you forever. In traditional characters it is written 永遠.
永远
yǒng yuǎn
Forever
What 永远 means.
永远 is the everyday word for “forever” and “always”, as in 永远爱你, “love you forever”. 永 alone carries the same meaning in a more classical register.
- 永
- forever
- 远
- far, distant
Simplified and traditional
永远
永遠
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 永遠 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 永远 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
永
yǒng
Forever, eternal
- 永
- forever, eternal
The character calligraphers practise first, since it holds every basic stroke.
About forever in Chinese
How do you write forever in Chinese?
Forever is 永远 in Chinese, pronounced yǒng yuǎn. Forever 永 means “forever”, 远 means “far, distant”.
How do you pronounce 永远?
Say yǒng (third tone, dipping), yuǎn (third tone, dipping). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 永远 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 永遠, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 永远 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
What other Chinese words mean forever?
永 (yǒng): Forever, eternal The character calligraphers practise first, since it holds every basic stroke.
Is 永远 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.