尾生丧身 — “Wei Sheng losing his life”
尾生丧身 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to adhere rigidly to a promise or principle, even at the cost of one's own life, without considering practical consequences or adapting to circumstances; to be stubbornly faithful to a promise to one's own detriment”. Literally, “Wei Sheng losing his life”.
尾生丧身 Pronunciation and Pinyin
尾生丧身 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 尾生丧身
Origin and Story of 尾生丧身
According to ancient legend, Wei Sheng was a man from the state of Lu who was known for his absolute adherence to promises. He always made sure to keep his word.
One day, he made an appointment with a woman he loved to meet under a bridge.
The woman did not arrive as scheduled. Suddenly, a torrential rain began, and the water rose, reaching his waist.
Yet, he remained steadfast, waiting foolishly to keep his promise. As a result, the rising waters drowned him.
Idioms Related to 尾生丧身
Synonyms of 尾生丧身
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Open the tool →Questions about 尾生丧身
What does 尾生丧身 mean?
尾生丧身 (wěi shēng sàng shēn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to adhere rigidly to a promise or principle, even at the cost of one's own life, without considering practical consequences or adapting to circumstances; to be stubbornly faithful to a promise to one's own detriment”.
How do you pronounce 尾生丧身?
尾生丧身 is pronounced wěi shēng sàng shēn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 尾生丧身 literally mean?
Literally, 尾生丧身 means “Wei Sheng losing his life”. It is used to mean “to adhere rigidly to a promise or principle, even at the cost of one's own life, without considering practical consequences or adapting to circumstances; to be stubbornly faithful to a promise to one's own detriment”.
Where does 尾生丧身 come from?
尾生丧身 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 尾生丧身?
传说鲁国人尾生与一女子相约在桥下会面，水涨，尾生不愿失信，抱着桥柱被淹死。比喻只知道守约，而不懂得权衡利害关系