Chinese characters and pinyin
Simplified: 活到老，学到老
Traditional: 活到老，學到老
Pinyin: huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo
Literal translation
Live until old age; learn until old age.
Natural English meaning
Learning should continue throughout one’s entire life.
Closest English equivalent
You’re never too old to learn.
The Chinese saying frames lifelong learning as a parallel to lifelong living.
When to use it
Use it to celebrate curiosity and continued education at any age.
When not to use it
Avoid presenting it as a literal rule; the force of the saying depends on context and tone.
Example sentence
爷爷七十岁开始学摄影，真是活到老，学到老。
Grandfather took up photography at seventy—you are never too old to learn.
Origin and cultural context
A widely used modern folk saying about lifelong education.
Classification: proverb. This label distinguishes a complete proverb or popular saying from a compact idiom or a quotation preserved from a classical text.
