西台痛哭 — “To weep bitterly at Xitai”

西台痛哭 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to weep bitterly at Xitai”. To express profound grief and sorrow over a great loss or tragedy, often associated with a national catastrophe or a deep personal sorrow. Literally, “Weeping bitterly at Xitai (West Terrace)”.

Frequency

西台痛哭 Pronunciation and Pinyin

西台痛哭 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
西	xī	6	west; Western countries
台	tái	5	platform, stage, desk, counter
痛	tòng	12	pain, sorrow, thoroughly
哭	kū	10	to weep or cry

Example Sentence with 西台痛哭

看着他辛苦经营多年的事业瞬间崩塌，他感觉如同西台痛哭一般，心中充满了无尽的悲凉。

Watching his business, painstakingly built over many years, collapse in an instant, he felt a profound sorrow akin to the 'weeping at Xitai,' his heart filled with endless desolation.

Origin and Story of 西台痛哭

In the late Song Dynasty, after the patriotic general Wen Tianxiang failed in his resistance against the Yuan invaders, he was tragically killed at Xitai.

Eight years later, Xie Ao and his friends ascended Xitai to mourn and pay tribute to Wen Tianxiang. They wept profusely and composed a dirge, 'Record of Weeping Bitterly at Xitai,' to commemorate the event, expressing their profound sorrow over the demise of their country and their deep admiration for Wen Tianxiang.