苦海无边，回头是岸 kǔ hǎi wú biān ， huí tóu shì àn

DEFINITIONS

  1. The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.
  2. Repent and ye shall be saved!

CHARACTERS

苦 kǔ
HSK 4
bitter; hardship, suffering
海 hǎi
HSK 4
sea, ocean; maritime
无 wú
HSK 4
negative, no, not; KangXi radical 71
边 biān
HSK 2
edge, margin, side, border
回 huí
HSK 1
return, turn around; a time
头 tóu
HSK 3
head; top; chief, first; boss
是 shì
HSK 1
indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that
岸 àn
HSK 5
bank, shore; beach, coast