人生如朝露

rénshēngrúzhāolù
human life as the morning dew (idiom); fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence

CEDICT

朝露遇日則乾。比喻人生命短促。《漢書．卷五四．蘇建傳》：「人生如朝露，何久自苦如此！」也作「人生朝露」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 人生 rénshēng life (one's time on earth)
2 如 rú
  1. as
  2. as if
  3. such as
3 朝露 zhāolù
  1. morning dew
  2. fig. precarious brevity of human life
  3. ephemeral

Related entries

人生朝露 rénshēngzhāolù human life as the morning dew (idiom); fig. ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence