| 先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐 |
xiān tiān xià zhī yōu ér yōu , hòu tiān xià zhī lè ér lè |
to be the first to worry about affairs of state, and the last to enjoy oneself (quotation from the essay On Yueyang Tower 岳阳楼记 by Song writer Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹) |
| 先 |
xiān |
beforehand; first; earlier / at first; originally / for the time being; for now / (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself) |
| 先天 |
xiān tiān |
embryonic period (contrasted with 后天) / inborn; innate; natural |
| 天 |
tiān |
day / sky / heaven |
| 天下 |
tiān xià |
land under heaven / the whole world / the whole of China / realm / rule |
| 下 |
xià |
down / downwards / below / lower / later / next (week etc) / second (of two parts) / to decline / to go down / to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) / measure word to show the frequency of an action |
| 之 |
zhī |
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的) / him / her / it |
| 忧 |
yōu |
to worry / to concern oneself with / worried / anxiety / sorrow / (literary) to observe mourning |
| 而 |
ér |
and / as well as / and so / but (not) / yet (not) / (indicates causal relation) / (indicates change of state) / (indicates contrast) |
| 忧 |
yōu |
to worry / to concern oneself with / worried / anxiety / sorrow / (literary) to observe mourning |
| 后 |
Hòu |
surname Hou |
| 后 |
hòu |
empress / queen / (archaic) monarch / ruler |
| 后 |
hòu |
back / behind / rear / afterwards / after / later / post- |
| 后天 |
hòu tiān |
the day after tomorrow / life after birth (the period in which one develops through experiences, contrasted with 先天) / acquired (not innate or congenital) / a posteriori |
| 天 |
tiān |
day / sky / heaven |
| 天下 |
tiān xià |
land under heaven / the whole world / the whole of China / realm / rule |
| 下 |
xià |
down / downwards / below / lower / later / next (week etc) / second (of two parts) / to decline / to go down / to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) / measure word to show the frequency of an action |
| 之 |
zhī |
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的) / him / her / it |
| 乐 |
Lè |
surname Le |
| 乐 |
Yuè |
surname Yue |
| 乐 |
lào |
used in place names |
| 乐 |
lè |
happy / cheerful / to laugh |
| 乐 |
yuè |
music |
| 而 |
ér |
and / as well as / and so / but (not) / yet (not) / (indicates causal relation) / (indicates change of state) / (indicates contrast) |
| 乐 |
Lè |
surname Le |
| 乐 |
Yuè |
surname Yue |
| 乐 |
lào |
used in place names |
| 乐 |
lè |
happy / cheerful / to laugh |
| 乐 |
yuè |
music |