先忧后乐

先憂後樂

xiānyōu-hòulè

idiom

Meanings

1 to be the first to worry and the last to enjoy
2 to put others' cares before one's own comfort

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

他一生先忧后乐，总是把百姓的事放在第一位。

Tā yìshēng xiānyōu-hòulè, zǒngshì bǎ bǎixìng de shì fàng zài dìyī wèi.

All his life he was the first to worry and the last to enjoy, always putting the people's needs first.

HSK 7-9

范仲淹先忧后乐的胸怀，影响了一代又一代读书人。

Fàn Zhòngyān xiānyōu-hòulè de xiōnghuái, yǐngxiǎng le yídài yòu yídài dúshūrén.

Fan Zhongyan's ideal of worrying first and enjoying last has inspired generation after generation of scholars.

Tips

history

Condensed from 范仲淹's 岳阳楼记 (1046): 先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐, 'be the first to worry over the world's worries and the last to enjoy its joys'. It is praise for an official who puts the people first, not just 'suffer now, enjoy later'.

Stroke Order

先 xiān

忧 yōu

后 hòu

乐 lè