死而后已

Pronunciation: sǐ ér hòu yǐ Literal meaning: Only stop after death

Origin & Usage

Zengzi, in the Analects, says a gentleman's burden is heavy and his road long: 仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后已，不亦远乎？ — he takes benevolence as his own charge, and stops (已) only after (后) death (死). Zhuge Liang borrowed the four characters seven centuries later in the memorial before his northern campaigns, pairing them with 鞠躬尽瘁, bending to the task until spent, and it is that pairing most Chinese speakers know. The phrase sets no other terminating condition, which is its whole force: not until the work is done, not until it is hopeless, but until the person is gone.

Examples

English: "His commitment to justice continued until his last day."

Chinese: 他对正义的追求死而后已。