生於憂患，死於安樂 shēng yú yōu huàn ， sǐ yú ān lè

DEFINITIONS

  1. to thrive in calamity and perish in soft living (idiom)
  2. life springs from sorrow and calamity, death comes from ease and pleasure

CHARACTERS

生 shēng
HSK 1
life, living, lifetime; birth
於 yú in, at, on; interjection alas!
憂 yōu sad, grieved; grief, melancholy
患 huàn
HSK 6
suffer, worry about; suffering
死 sǐ
HSK 4
die; dead; death
於 yú in, at, on; interjection alas!
安 ān
HSK 3
peaceful, tranquil, quiet
樂 lè happy, glad; enjoyable; music