noun
eternity; forever and ever; countless ages
Poetic and literary term for an extremely long time, often used in blessings, songs, or classical contexts. Rare in everyday speech.
千代万代まで続く平和を願う。
I wish for peace that lasts for eternity.
この歌には「千代万代」という古風な表現が出てくる。
This song contains the old-fashioned expression 'chiyoyorozuyo'.
千代 means 'a thousand generations' or 'eternity' and is more common than 千代万代, though still literary.
Compound of 千代 (chiyo, 'a thousand generations') and 万代 (yorozuyo, 'ten thousand generations'), both meaning very long periods. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is used in classical Japanese poetry and literature.