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During the Spring and Autumn period, after Confucius was marginalized from the political arena in the State of Lu, he led his disciples on journeys across various states. After encountering setbacks in places like Wei, Zheng, Chen, and Jin, he settled leisurely in the State of Cai.
Confucius discussed his experiences with his disciples, stating that he had resolved to promote his doctrines from the age of thirty. Now having reached the 'age of knowing destiny' and being almost seventy, he had not yet succeeded in implementing his benevolent governance, and he was filled with deep emotion.
Zai Yu immediately came forward to comfort Confucius.

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Open the tool →知命之年 (zhī mìng zhī nián) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “the age of fifty”.
知命之年 is pronounced zhī mìng zhī nián in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 知命之年 means “the age of knowing destiny”. It is used to mean “the age of fifty”.
知命之年 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
知道自己命运的年龄。指50岁。