死而後已

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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) 死 而 後 已
simp. (死而后已) 死 而 后 已

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 8 (《論語·泰伯》):

曾子曰：「士不可以不弘毅，任重而道遠。仁以為己任，不亦重乎？死而後已，不亦遠乎？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
曾子曰：「士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后已，不亦远乎？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zēngzǐ yuē: “Shì bùkěyǐ bù hóng yì, rèn zhòng ér dào yuǎn. Rén yǐwéi jǐ rèn, bù yì zhòng hū? Sǐ érhòu yǐ, bù yì yuǎn hū?”
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

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