不得善終

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Chinese

to not get good end
trad. (不得善終) 不得 善終
simp. (不得善终) 不得 善终

Etymology

From Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

堅指天為誓曰：「吾若果得此寶，私自藏匿，異日不得善終，死於刀箭之下！」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
坚指天为誓曰：「吾若果得此宝，私自藏匿，异日不得善终，死于刀箭之下！」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14th century CE
Jiān zhǐ tiān wèi shì yuē: “Wú ruò guǒ dé cǐ bǎo, sīzì cángnì, yìrì bùdéshànzhōng, sǐ yú dāojiàn zhī xià!”
(Sun) Jian pointed to the sky to swear an oath that: "If I indeed obtained this treasure (Heirloom Seal of the Realm) yet secretly hid it, in the future I would not have a good end (of life) / not die a good death, but I would die by swords and arrows."

Pronunciation

Verb

不得善終

  1. (literary) to die a miserable death
  2. (literary, figurative) to meet with a tragic end; to be done in; to not have a favorable outcome

Synonyms

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