health and longevity; long life free from calamity
A yojijukugo expressing the wish or state of living a long, healthy life untouched by disaster or illness. Often used in blessings, prayers, or formal well-wishing contexts.
As a New Year's greeting, I pray for the health and longevity of your family.
This amulet is said to bring blessings of health and long life.
無病息災 focuses on being free from illness and disaster, while 息災延命 emphasizes both safety from calamity and the extension of life.
延命 alone means 'prolonging life,' often in a medical or survival context, without the nuance of being free from disaster.
A yojijukugo combining 息災 (safety from disaster, good health) and 延命 (prolonging life). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of pairing auspicious concepts in four-character compounds.