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

care for people first, enjoy life last

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. The first concern is affairs of state, enjoying the pleasure comes later. Quotation from essay On Yueyang Tower yuè yáng lóu jì by Song writer Fan Zhongyan fàn zhòng yān

Characters

Character Meaning
first; in advance; early
day; sky; heaven
down; below; to go down
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of de); it
to worry; worried; anxiety
and; but (not); (indicates contrast)
to worry; worried; anxiety
behind; after; later
day; sky; heaven
down; below; to go down
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of de); it
happy; cheerful; to laugh
and; but (not); (indicates contrast)
happy; cheerful; to laugh