万まん年ねん

noun

ten thousand years; an extremely long time; eternity

Literally 'ten thousand years'; often used proverbially or rhetorically for great longevity or an unimaginably long time. The reading よろずとせ is archaic.

• 鶴つるは千せん年ねん、亀かめは万まん年ねんと言いわれる。

  It is said that cranes live a thousand years and turtles ten thousand.

• この歌うたは国くにの万まん年ねんの栄さかえを祈いのるものだ。

  This song prays for the country to prosper forever.

noun, used as a prefix

perennial; perpetual; ever-present

Only when written 万年 · Only with reading まんねん

Prefix use read まんねん, forming compounds that mean something is permanent, perennial, or always in the same state. In human-status compounds, it can sound mildly humorous or critical, as in 'perpetual substitute' or 'always last'.

• 山さん頂ちょうには万まん年ねん雪ゆきが残のこっている。

  Perennial snow remains on the mountain summit.

• 彼かれはチームの万まん年ねん補ほ欠けつだった。

  He was the team's perpetual substitute.