先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂 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
HSK 1
first, former, previous
天 tiān
HSK 1
sky, heaven; god, celestial
下 xià
HSK 1
under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
憂 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
而 ér
HSK 3
and; and then; and yet; but
憂 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
後 hòu behind, rear, after; descendents
天 tiān
HSK 1
sky, heaven; god, celestial
下 xià
HSK 1
under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
樂 lè happy, glad; enjoyable; music
而 ér
HSK 3
and; and then; and yet; but
樂 lè happy, glad; enjoyable; music