壮士一去兮不复还

壯士一去兮不復還

zhuàngshì yī qù xī bù fù huán

quotation

Meanings

1 the brave warrior, once departed, shall never return
2 a heroic farewell before a one-way mission

Characters

warrior; scholar

(Chu-style sigh particle)

Examples

他临行前说了句"壮士一去兮不复还"，听得人心里发紧。

Tā lín xíng qián shuō le jù " zhuàngshìyīqùxībùfùhuán ", tīng de rénxīn li fā jǐn.

Before leaving he uttered 'the warrior once gone shall not return' — it gave everyone a chill.

创业就像壮士一去兮不复还，拼的是决心。

Chuàngyè jiù xiàng zhuàngshìyīqùxībùfùhuán, pīn de shì juéxīn.

Starting a business is like a warrior's one-way farewell — it's all about resolve.

Tips

history

From 荆轲 Jing Ke's 《易水歌》 (Song of the Yi River), recorded in 《战国策》. The full couplet is 风萧萧兮易水寒，壮士一去兮不复还 — sung as Jing Ke set out to assassinate the King of Qin (227 BC). He never came back.

usage

Usually quoted alongside the first half 风萧萧兮易水寒. The 兮 (xī) is a Chu-style exclamatory particle, like a sigh, common in 《楚辞》-style verse.

Stroke Order

壮 zhuàng

士 shì

一 yī

去 qù

兮 xī

不 bù

复 fù

还 hái