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患得患失. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
患得患失, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
患得患失 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
患得患失 you have here. The definition of the word
患得患失 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
患得患失, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
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misfortune; suffer (from illness); trouble misfortune; suffer (from illness); trouble; danger; worry; to contract (a disease) |
get; obtain; gain get; obtain; gain; proper; suitable; proud; contented; allow; permit; ready; finished; a sentence particle used after a verb to show effect; degree or possibility; to have to; must; ought to; to need to |
misfortune; suffer (from illness); trouble misfortune; suffer (from illness); trouble; danger; worry; to contract (a disease) |
to lose; to miss; to fail
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simp. and trad.
(患得患失)
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患
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得
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患
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失
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Etymology
From the Analects, Book 17 (《論語·陽貨》):
子曰：「鄙夫！可與事君也與哉？其未得之也，患得之；既得之，患失之。苟患失之，無所不至矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子曰：「鄙夫！可与事君也与哉？其未得之也，患得之；既得之，患失之。苟患失之，无所不至矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐyuē: “Bǐ fū! Kě yǔ shì jūn yě yǔ zāi? Qí wèi dé zhī yě, huàn dé zhī; jì dé zhī, huàn shī zhī. Gǒu huàn shī zhī, wú suǒ bù zhì yǐ.”
- The Master said, "There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one's prince! While they have not got their aims, their anxiety is how to get them. When they have got them, their anxiety is lest they should lose them. When they are anxious lest such things should be lost, there is nothing to which they will not proceed."
Pronunciation
Verb
患得患失
- to be mean; to be tight-fisted
- to be overcautious; to tend to avoid risks