# 老當益壯
## Chinese

| | | old; aged; venerableold; aged; venerable; outdated; experienced; (affectionate prefix) | to act as; represent; equalto act as; represent; equal; should; fitting; suitable; adequate; proper; replace; to be; to hold a position; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; match equally; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at | benefit; increase | to strengthen; strong; robust |
| trad. (老當益壯) | trad. (老當益壯) | 老 | 當 | 益 | 壯 |
| simp. (老当益壮) | simp. (老当益壮) | 老 | 当 | 益 | 壮 |

### Etymology

From a quote of Ma Yuan in the Book of the Later Han by 范曄 (Fan Ye):
    丈夫為志，窮當益堅，老當益壯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]丈夫为志，穷当益坚，老当益壮。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5th century CEZhàngfū wèi zhì, qióng dāng yì jiān, lǎodāngyìzhuàng. [Pinyin]When a real man shows resolve, he becomes stronger when in distress, and more ambitious when he ages.

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎodāngyìzhuàng
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄤ ㄧˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): lou$^5$ dong$^1$ jik$^1$ zong$^3$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): ló-tong-ek-chòng
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎodāngyìzhuàng
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄤ ㄧˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎodangyìjhuàng
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-tang$^1$-i$^4$-chuang$^4$
*** Yale: lǎu-dāng-yì-jwàng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laodangyihjuanq
*** Palladius: лаоданъичжуан (laodanʺičžuan)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ dong$^1$ jik$^1$ zong$^3$
*** Yale: lóuh dōng yīk jong
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ dong$^1$ jik$^7$ dzong$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ dong$^1$ yig$^1$ zong$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ jɪk̚⁵ t͡sɔːŋ³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ló-tong-ek-chòng
*** Tâi-lô: ló-tong-ik-tsòng
*** Phofsit Daibuun: loy'dong'ekzoxng
*** IPA (Xiamen): /lo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tɔŋ⁴⁴⁻²² iɪk̚³²⁻⁴ t͡sɔŋ²¹/
* Middle Chinese: lawX tang 'jiek tsrjangH
Rime :
| Character | 老 | 當 | 益 | 壯 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/2 | 1/1 | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 來 (37) | 端 (5) | 影 (34) | 莊 (18) |
| Final (韻) | 豪 (89) | 唐 (101) | 昔 (123) | 陽 (105) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) | Level (Ø) | Checked (Ø) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | I | III | III |
| Fanqie | 盧晧切 | 都郎切 | 伊昔切 | 側亮切 |
| Baxter | lawX | tang | 'jiek | tsrjangH |
| Reconstructions |||||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /lɑu$^X$/ | /tɑŋ/ | /ʔiᴇk̚/ | /t͡ʃɨɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /lɑu$^X$/ | /tɑŋ/ | /ʔiɛk̚/ | /ʈ͡ʂiɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /lɑu$^X$/ | /tɑŋ/ | /ʔiæk̚/ | /t͡ʃiɑŋ$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /law$^X$/ | /taŋ/ | /ʔiajk̚/ | /ʈ͡ʂɨaŋ$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /lɑu$^X$/ | /tɑŋ/ | /ʔiɛk̚/ | /t͡ʃiaŋ$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /lɑu$^X$/ | /tɑŋ/ | /ĭɛk̚/ | /t͡ʃĭaŋ$^H$/ |
| Bernard Karlgren | /lɑu$^X$/ | /tɑŋ/ | /ʔi̯ɛk̚/ | /ʈ͡ʂi̯aŋ$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | lǎo | dāng | yi | zhuàng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | lou$^5$ | dong$^1$ | jik$^1$ | zong$^3$ |

### Idiom

老當益壯
* to have one's ambition or resolve growing stronger even though he or she is old
    From: 7th century, 王勃 (Wang Bo), 《滕王閣序》
    Lǎodāngyìzhuàng, níng yí báishǒu zhī xīn? [Pinyin]
    Though being old, we should be more ambitious; how can we change our ambitions when our hair is greying?