死而後已

Chinese

 
to die; impassable; uncrossable
to die; impassable; uncrossable; inflexible; rigid
 
and; as well as; but (not)
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
 
back; behind; rear
back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later
 
already; to stop; then
already; to stop; then; afterwards
trad. (死而後已)
simp. (死而后已)

Etymology

From the Analects

曾子:「不可以任重以為己任不亦死而後已不亦?」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
曾子:“不可以任重以为己任不亦死而后已不亦?” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zēngzǐ yuē: “Shì bùkěyǐ bù hóngyì, rènzhòng ér dàoyuǎn. Rén yǐwéi jǐrèn, bùyì zhòng hū? Sǐ érhòu yǐ, bùyì yuǎn hū?” [Pinyin]
The philosopher Zeng said, "The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long. Perfect virtue is the burden which he considers it is his to sustain — is it not heavy? Only with death does his course stop — is it not long?"

Pronunciation


Idiom

死而後已

  1. until one's dying day; not giving up until death

Derived terms

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.