eternal

Compared meaning: lasting forever or for a very long time (adjective).

比较义项：永久的，或永远持续不变（形容词）。

• permanent

  The most neutral, everyday word for something lasting forever or not meant to change; contrasts directly with 'temporary' and is used for physical states, jobs, solutions or damage.

  最中性、最常用的词，指永久持续或不会改变的事物；常与“temporary（暂时的）”相对，多用于描述物理状态、工作、解决方案或损坏。

  The doctors said the nerve damage from the accident is permanent.

  医生说事故造成的神经损伤是永久性的。

• perpetual

  Emphasizes continuing without stopping or happening again and again, often with a mildly negative or exasperated tone about something repetitive or unrelenting.

  强调持续不断或反复发生、从未停止，常带有轻微的负面或无奈语气，形容令人厌烦、无休止的状态。

  The kids complained about the perpetual noise from the construction site next door.

  孩子们抱怨隔壁工地那持续不断的噪音。

• eternal 本词

  The strongest and most elevated word, meaning without any end at all; typically used in emotional, spiritual or poetic contexts like love, life or glory, rather than ordinary facts.

  语气最强烈、最富诗意或宗教色彩的词，表示“永无止境”，多用于爱情、生命、荣耀等情感或精神层面的语境，而非普通事实。

  The monument honors the soldiers' eternal glory.

  这座纪念碑颂扬士兵们永恒的荣耀。

• abiding

  A more formal, literary word almost always describing lasting feelings, beliefs or interests rather than physical things; suggests deep, steady devotion rather than mere duration.

  更正式、文学化的词，几乎只用来形容持久的情感、信念或兴趣，而不用于具体事物，强调深厚而稳定的情感，而非单纯的时间长短。

  Despite the divorce, she kept an abiding affection for her ex-husband's family.

  尽管离婚了，她对前夫的家人仍怀有持久的情感。

Permanent, perpetual, eternal, and abiding all describe lasting a long time. Permanent is the most neutral word, opposed to temporary. Perpetual stresses continuing without stopping. Eternal is the strongest, meaning no end, used for love or life. Abiding is formal, literary, mainly for lasting feelings.

这四个词都表示“持续很久或永远不变”，但语气强弱和使用场合不同：permanent 最常用、最中性，常与“temporary（暂时的）”相对；perpetual 强调不停歇、反复发生，语气略带无奈或负面；eternal 语气最强烈，多用于爱情、生命、荣耀等情感或宗教语境，带诗意色彩；abiding 更正式、文学化，几乎只用来形容持久的情感或信念。

Compared meaning: lasting for a very long time (adjective).

比较义项：持续时间很长、久远（形容词）。

• eternal 本词

  Strongest of the four: suggests something lasts forever with no end, often used in emotional, romantic, or religious contexts rather than everyday facts.

  语气最强：表示某事物永远持续、没有尽头，常用于爱情、生命或宗教等情感色彩较浓的语境，而非普通的日常事实。

  Many religions promise eternal life to those who follow their teachings.

  许多宗教向那些遵循其教义的人承诺永恒的生命。

• long

  The most general, neutral word for duration, used for almost anything that continues for a great amount of time, without eternal's sense of forever.

  语气最中性、最通用，几乎可以形容任何持续很久的事物，但不像eternal那样带有“永远”的意味。

  It was a long, tiring day at the office.

  那是在办公室度过的漫长而疲惫的一天。

• extended

  Implies a period that was deliberately made longer than originally planned or than usual, often used for stays, deadlines, or vacations.

  表示某段时间被特意延长，超过了原定计划或通常的时长，常用于假期、逗留或截止日期等场合。

  We asked our professor for an extended deadline on the final project.

  我们请求教授延长这份期末项目的截止日期。

• lifelong

  Specifically spans a person's entire life, used mainly for relationships, habits, or pursuits rather than short-term or abstract things.

  特指贯穿一个人的一生，主要用于人际关系、习惯或追求，而不是短期或抽象的事物。

  They have been lifelong friends since they met in kindergarten.

  自从在幼儿园相识以来，他们就是终身的朋友。

Eternal, long, extended, and lifelong all mean lasting long. Eternal is strongest, meaning no end. Long is the most general, neutral duration word. Extended means longer than planned. Lifelong spans a whole life, for relationships or habits. Not compared: long as distance, extended as stretched.

这几个词都可以表示持续时间很长，但语气强弱和使用场合不同：eternal语气最强，表示“永远、没有尽头”，常用于爱情、生命或宗教等情感色彩浓厚的语境；long是最普通、中性的说法，几乎可以形容任何持续较久的事物；extended强调“比原计划或通常时长更长”，常用于假期、逗留、期限等被特意延长的情况；lifelong特指“贯穿一个人的一生”，多用于友谊、习惯或追求。另外，long本身还有“（距离）长的”这一空间意义，extended也有“伸出的”这一物理意义（如伸出的手臂），这两种意义这里都不作比较。