前仆后继

前仆後繼

qiánpū-hòujì

idiom #43,394

Meanings

1 the front ranks fall and those behind press on
2 to advance wave after wave despite heavy losses; unrelenting succession

Characters

to fall forward, fall in battle

to continue, succeed

Examples

HSK 6

科研工作者前仆后继地探索这一难题。

Kēyán gōngzuòzhě qiánpū-hòujì de tànsuǒ zhè yì nántí.

Researchers have pressed on, generation after generation, in the effort to crack this problem.

HSK 7-9

革命先辈前仆后继，才换来了今天的和平。

Gémìng xiānbèi qiánpū-hòujì, cái huànlái le jīntiān de hépíng.

Revolutionary forebears fell and were replaced wave after wave, securing the peace we have today.

Tips

history

Variant of Tang-dynasty Sun Qiao's 《祭梓潼神君文》: 前仆后踣 - the front falls, those behind stumble onward. The image is a battlefield where ranks keep advancing over fallen comrades.

mistakes

仆 here is pū (to fall forward, prostrate), not pú (servant). The whole point is the falling - confusing the readings breaks the image.

Stroke Order

前 qián

仆 pú

后 hòu

继 jì