art is long, life is short
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Art is more enduring than an individual's lifetime.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Nghệ thuật tồn tại lâu hơn tuổi thọ của một người
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
In the side of a storage structure, I note a surely-not-officially sanctioned graffiti slogan, "Art is Long, Life is Short".
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “art is long, life is short” mean?
Art is more enduring than an individual's lifetime.
Is “art is long, life is short” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.