后天下之乐而乐

後天下之樂而樂

hòu tiānxià zhī lè ér lè

quotation

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

HSK 7-9

他一生践行先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐的信念。

Tā yīshēng jiàn xíng xiāntiānxiàzhīyōu'éryōu, hòutiānxiàzhīlè'érlè de xìnniàn.

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

HSK 7-9

做干部就要后天下之乐而乐，不能先考虑自己。

Zuò gànbù jiùyào hòutiānxiàzhīlè'érlè, 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