Today’s Episode
A powerful earthquake shook Myanmar, even reaching Bangkok. In that moment, I truly felt 劫后余生—the relief of surviving a disaster. But this phrase isn’t just about earthquakes or accidents. Join me as we explore its meaning through real-life stories and examples!
Support MaoMi & Get exclusive to premium content!
In our next MaoMi Chinese+ episode on 1st April, we dive into “tofu-quality construction” and its dangers. From collapsing buildings to faulty bridges, find out how poor building standards affect us all!
Don’t miss out! Interested in joining the membership?
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1426696/subscribe ↗️
*Please be aware that Spotify does not support the membership program.
大家好！欢迎回来MaoMi Chinese！
看新闻的朋友可能已经知道，最近在缅甸，发生了很大的地震，有7.7级，已经有很多人因为地震去世或者受伤了。MaoMi Chinese的老朋友们可能也知道，我已经在一年多以前，搬到泰国的曼谷了。这一次地震，曼谷也被影响了。地震以后，我有一种劫后余生的感觉。今天，我们就来聊一聊，劫后余生这个成语吧。
劫的意思是灾难，比如地震、火灾、车祸。余生就是活下来的生命。所以，劫后余生就是说，在经历了大灾难之后，还能活下来。
我们常常用这个成语来说一个人经历了非常危险的事情，但最后活了下来。比如，前几天缅甸发生了地震，很多人受影响。有的人去世了，但也有的人虽然受伤了，却成功活了下来。这些活下来的人，就可以说是劫后余生。
我们来看几个例子。
小王上个月发生了严重的车祸，他的车撞到了桥上。救护车来的时候，大家都觉得他肯定活不下来。但幸运的是，他只是受了一点伤，住院一个星期就回家了。他说，这次车祸让他明白了生命很重要，感觉自己是劫后余生。
十年前，中国的四川发生了大地震。很多学校倒了，很多人被埋在废墟里。那时候，有一个小女孩被困在废墟里三天，最后终于被救了出来。她的家人都非常激动，说她是劫后余生。
有时候，劫后余生不一定是自然的灾难，也可以是战争或者其他大事情。我朋友的爷爷小时候经历过战争。那个时候，他的家乡很危险，很多人都没有活下来。但是，他和家人幸运地逃到了安全的地方，后来还去了别的国家生活。他的家人常常说，他们能有今天的生活，都是因为劫后余生。
这个成语有时候也可以用在更小的事情上。比如，小明考试前一天发高烧，什么都没复习。他以为自己肯定会考得很差，但是考试的问题是他以前学过的，最后他考得还不错。他笑着说，这次考试真的像是劫后余生。
这个成语虽然和灾难有关，但它的意思并不只是恐怖和危险。劫后余生的人，常常会更加珍惜生命，也会更加努力地生活。
你有没有经历过劫后余生的事情？欢迎在评论里给我们留言，和我们分享哦！
Hello everyone! Welcome back to MaoMi Chinese!
If you’ve been following the news, you might already know that a powerful earthquake recently struck Myanmar. It measured 7.7 on the Richter scale, and sadly, many people have lost their lives or been injured. Those of you who have been listening to MaoMi Chinese for a while may also know that I moved to Bangkok, Thailand, over a year ago. This earthquake also affected Bangkok, and afterwards, I had a real sense of 劫后余生—the feeling of having survived a disaster. Today, let’s talk about this phrase.
The word 劫 refers to a disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, or car accident. 余生 means the life that remains. So, 劫后余生 describes someone who has lived through a major catastrophe and survived.
We often use this phrase to describe people who have gone through extreme danger but made it out alive. For example, after the earthquake in Myanmar, many people were affected. Some, unfortunately, lost their lives, but others, though injured, managed to survive. These survivors can be described as 劫后余生.
Let’s look at a few more examples.
Last month, Xiao Wang was in a serious car accident—his car crashed into a bridge. When the ambulance arrived, everyone thought there was no way he could have survived. But miraculously, he only suffered minor injuries and was discharged from the hospital after a week. He said that this accident made him realise how precious life is, and he truly felt like he had experienced 劫后余生.
Ten years ago, a massive earthquake hit Sichuan, China. Many schools collapsed, and people were trapped under the rubble. There was a little girl who was buried under the debris for three days before she was finally rescued. Her family was overwhelmed with emotion and said she had experienced 劫后余生.
Sometimes, 劫后余生 doesn’t have to refer to natural disasters—it can also apply to war or other life-changing events. My friend’s grandfather lived through a war when he was a child. At that time, his hometown was extremely dangerous, and many people didn’t survive. But he and his family were lucky enough to escape to safety and later moved to another country. His family often says that their present life is only possible because they experienced 劫后余生.
This phrase can even be used in less dramatic situations. For example, Xiao Ming had a high fever the night before his exam and wasn’t able to revise at all. He was convinced he was going to fail. But luckily, the questions in the exam happened to be on topics he had studied before, and he ended up passing. Laughing, he said that this exam felt like 劫后余生!
Although 劫后余生 is connected to disasters, its meaning isn’t just about fear and danger. People who go through these experiences often cherish life more deeply and live with greater appreciation.
Have you ever had an experience where you felt like you had survived against the odds? Let us know in the comments and share your story!