First, the crane is childlike:
This idiom means that old people's hair is as white as a crane's feather, but their faces are very young. Used to describe the elderly who are healthy, energetic and have a lasting appearance. This idiom conveys the scene that the old man is still young and energetic in his later years, and has a beautiful meaning of praising the old man.
The origin of this idiom can be traced back to the ancient article On Zhuangzi Wuqi, which describes an old man named Gong Hu. His hair is gorgeous and his appearance is childish. Gong Hu appeared in front of Zhuangzi, which made Zhuangzi admire the mental state and appearance of the old man. Later, this image was extended to describe a beautiful state of the elderly.
This idiom is generally used to describe that the elderly are still full of energy. For example, it can be used to describe an energetic and radiant old man and express that they have a healthy and positive attitude towards life. This idiom is often used in spoken and written language to praise the way of keeping in good health and good mentality of the elderly.
Second, doddering:
This idiom means that a person looks like a dragon bell when he is old, describing the aging form of the elderly. Among them, the old state refers to the state of old age, and the dragon bell refers to the clock in the ancient temple, which is shaped like a dragon and snake winding, symbolizing the circulation of years. This idiom is used to describe the appearance or state of the elderly, which means that time flies and the years are ruthless.
The origin of this idiom can be traced back to the ancient literary work Dream of China in Tokyo, which is a collection of essays written by Du Mu, a writer in the Tang Dynasty, and one of them mentioned the description of aging. In this article, Du Mu describes the old emperor sitting on the throne, looking old and tired, like an ancient dragon bell, vividly expressing the aging state of the old man.
Third, the old horse squatted:
This idiom means that the old horse stops by the manger, which means that the old man remains vigorous and ambitious in his old age. Horses refer to excellent horses, and dogs refer to mangers. The idiom "Lao" describes an old horse, while "Fu" means to stop by the manger. This idiom is used to describe the old people who are still young and struggling.
The origin of this idiom can be traced back to Looking at the Sea written by Cao Cao, a writer in the Southern Dynasties and the Song Dynasty. This poem expresses Cao Cao's unfulfilled wish, implying that Lao Ma still has lofty goals. This poem is extended to an idiom, which describes that the elderly still have ambition and fighting spirit.