后天下之乐而乐

後天下之樂而樂

hòutiānxiàzhīlèérlè

phrase

Meanings

1 to enjoy the world's joys only after everyone else has enjoyed them
2 to put one's own happiness after the happiness of all

Characters

under (天下 = the world)

and (classical)

Examples

他一生践行先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐的信念。

Tā yīshēng jiànxíng xiān tiānxià zhī yōu ér yōu, hòu tiānxià zhī lè ér lè de xìnniàn.

All his life he lived by the belief of worrying before others and rejoicing after them.

做干部就要后天下之乐而乐，不能先考虑自己。

Zuò gànbù jiù yào hòu tiānxià zhī lè ér lè, bùnéng xiān kǎolǜ zìjǐ.

To be a cadre means to enjoy your own joy last — you can't put yourself first.

Tips

history

The second half of Fan Zhongyan's (范仲淹) famous couplet in 《岳阳楼记》 (Account of Yueyang Tower, 1046): 先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐 — 'Worry before the world worries, rejoice after the world rejoices.' Fan wrote it for an exiled friend, defining the ideal of the selfless scholar-official.

usage

Rarely used alone — nearly always follows 先天下之忧而忧 as the second half of the couplet.

Stroke Order

后 hòu

天 tiān

下 xià

之 zhī

乐 lè

而 ér