落叶归根 luò yè guī gēn

return home in old age; go back to one’s roots

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. Getting Home, 2007 PRC comedy-drama film directed by 张扬zhāng yáng, starring 赵本山zhào běn shān
  2. 2. lit. a falling leaf returns to the roots (idiom)
  3. 3. fig. all things go back to their source eventually
  4. 4. in old age, an expatriate returns home

Characters

Character Meaning
落 luò HSK 4
to fall or drop; to lower; to lag or fall behind
叶 yè HSK 4
leaf; surname Ye; page
归 guī HSK 5
to return; to go back to; to belong to
根 gēn HSK 3
root; basis