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During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Fuchai of the State of Wu defeated King Goujian of the State of Yue and imprisoned him for three years before eventually releasing him.
To avenge his defeat, King Goujian dedicated himself tirelessly, enduring immense hardship. He worked day and night, and whenever his eyes grew weary, he would hold bitter smartweed in his mouth to keep himself awake.
Externally, he made a point to visit and inquire about the illnesses of his people, comforting them and sharing their burdens. Through these efforts, he eventually strengthened his state and succeeded in destroying the State of Wu.

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Open the tool →含蓼问疾 (hán liǎo wèn jí) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to endure hardship and show deep concern for the well-being of others”.
含蓼问疾 is pronounced hán liǎo wèn jí in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 含蓼问疾 means “Hold smartweed in mouth and inquire about illnesses”. It is used to mean “to endure hardship and show deep concern for the well-being of others”.
含蓼问疾 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
蓼:一种苦味水草。不顾辛苦,慰问疾病。旧时比喻君主安抚军民,跟百姓同甘共苦。