殷憂啟聖 yīn yōu qǐ shèng

DEFINITIONS

  1. deep suffering can lead to enlightenment (idiom)
  2. storms make oaks take deeper root

CHARACTERS

殷 yīn many, great; abundant, flourishing
憂 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
啟 qǐ open; begin
聖 shèng holy, sacred; sage