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

DEFINITIONS

  1. The first concern is affairs of state, enjoying the pleasure comes later. Quotation from essay On Yueyang Tower 岳陽樓記|岳阳楼记 by Song writer Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹[Fan4 Zhong4 yan1]

CHARACTERS

先 xiān first, former, previous
天 tiān sky, heaven; god, celestial
下 xià under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
之 zhī marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
忧 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
而 ér and; and then; and yet; but
忧 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
后 hòu queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after
天 tiān sky, heaven; god, celestial
下 xià under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
之 zhī marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
乐 lè happy, glad; enjoyable; music
而 ér and; and then; and yet; but
乐 lè happy, glad; enjoyable; music