Chinese idiom · 成语
音容宛在
Meaning
A deceased person's voice and face remain vivid in memory, as if still present.
Character by character
Origin and story
Memorial expressionThe phrase evokes a remembered voice and face so vividly that an absent person seems still present. It is especially associated with mourning. A close antecedent occurs in Li Ao's memorial for Han Yu: amid grief for his longtime teacher and friend, he writes that Han's voice and appearance seem still before him. The cited text reads 音容若在, rather than the exact form 音容宛在.
宛 means 'as if,' which is central to the expression: it describes the force of memory, not a claim that the deceased has physically returned. A first occurrence of the exact wording is not established here. Today it suits a remembrance, condolence, or tribute to someone who has died.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
老师虽然离开我们多年，但音容宛在，他的教诲也从未被忘记。
Although our teacher passed away years ago, his voice and face remain vivid, and his lessons have never been forgotten.
Usually a respectful remembrance of someone who has died; not an ordinary greeting after a short absence.