殉国

殉國

xùnguó

verb #96,686

Meanings

1 to die for one's country
2 to give one's life for the nation

Characters

to die for (a cause)

Examples

HSK 3

他的爷爷在抗日战争中殉国了。

Tā de yéye zài Kàng-Rì Zhànzhēng zhōng xùnguó le.

His grandfather died for his country in the War of Resistance against Japan.

HSK 7-9

宋朝灭亡时，大臣陆秀夫背着年幼的皇帝跳海殉国。

Sòngcháo mièwáng shí, dàchén Lù Xiùfū bēi zhe niányòu de huángdì tiào hǎi xùnguó.

When the Song dynasty fell, the minister Lu Xiufu leapt into the sea with the child emperor on his back, dying for his country.

Tips

usage

殉国 is solemn and formal, used in history writing and on memorials for soldiers and officials who died defending their country. For a police officer or firefighter who dies on duty the word is 殉职; for someone who dies for a cause or in a disaster, 殉难.

Stroke Order

殉 xùn

国 guó