| 不见棺材不落泪 |
bù jiàn guān cai bù luò lèi |
lit. not to shed a tear until one sees the coffin (idiom) / fig. refuse to be convinced until one is faced with grim reality |
| 不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
| 不见 |
bù jiàn |
not to see / not to meet / to have disappeared / to be missing |
| 见 |
jiàn |
to see / to meet / to appear (to be sth) / to interview / opinion / view |
| 见 |
xiàn |
to appear / also written 现 |
| 棺 |
guān |
coffin |
| 棺材 |
guān cai |
coffin / CL:具,口 |
| 材 |
cái |
material / timber / ability / aptitude / a capable individual / coffin (old) |
| 不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
| 落 |
là |
to leave out / to be missing / to leave behind or forget to bring / to lag or fall behind |
| 落 |
lào |
colloquial reading for 落 in certain compounds |
| 落 |
luò |
to fall or drop / (of the sun) to set / (of a tide) to go out / to lower / to decline or sink / to lag or fall behind / to fall onto / to rest with / to get or receive / to write down / whereabouts / settlement |
| 落泪 |
luò lèi |
to shed tears / to weep |
| 泪 |
lèi |
(bound form) tears; teardrops |