What does 乐极生悲 mean?

乐极生悲 (lè jí shēng bēi) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Extreme joy turns to sorrow”.

How do you pronounce 乐极生悲?

乐极生悲 is pronounced lè jí shēng bēi in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 乐极生悲 literally mean?

Literally, 乐极生悲 means “Extreme joy produces sorrow”. It is used to mean “Extreme joy turns to sorrow”.

Where does 乐极生悲 come from?

乐极生悲 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 乐极生悲?

高兴到极点时，发生使人悲伤的事。

乐极生悲 — “Extreme joy turns to sorrow”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 乐极生悲?

高兴到极点时，发生使人悲伤的事。

乐极生悲 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Extreme joy turns to sorrow”. Happiness reaching its peak often leads to sadness. Literally, “Extreme joy produces sorrow”.

Frequency

乐极生悲 Pronunciation and Pinyin

乐lè
极jí
生shēng
悲bēi

乐极生悲 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
乐	lè	5	happy, music, enjoy
极	jí	7	utmost extreme or pole
生	shēng	5	to be born, grow, or live
悲	bēi	12	sadness, grief, or pity

Example Sentence with 乐极生悲

在这次比赛中取得巨大成功后，大家都要警惕乐极生悲的道理，以免因为过度兴奋而疏忽了后续工作。

After achieving great success in this competition, everyone should be wary of the principle that extreme joy can turn into sorrow, so as not to neglect follow-up work due to excessive excitement.

Origin and Story of 乐极生悲

During the Warring States period, King Wei of Qi inherited the throne at a young age. He indulged in pleasure, constructing the 'Jixia' palace in the capital Linzi and surrounding himself with eloquent speakers for conversation.

One day, when the State of Chu invaded Qi, a skillful diplomat named Chunyu Kun, with his exceptional rhetoric, successfully persuaded the State of Zhao to send troops, thus resolving Qi's predicament.

King Wei hosted a grand banquet to celebrate this victory. Seizing the opportunity, Chunyu Kun explained the principle that 'extreme joy gives rise to sorrow' to the king. This counsel helped King Wei transform into a wise and capable ruler.

Idioms Related to 乐极生悲

Synonyms of 乐极生悲

Antonyms of 乐极生悲

More idioms starting with 乐

Questions about 乐极生悲

What does 乐极生悲 mean?: 乐极生悲 (lè jí shēng bēi) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Extreme joy turns to sorrow”.
How do you pronounce 乐极生悲?: 乐极生悲 is pronounced lè jí shēng bēi in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 乐极生悲 literally mean?: Literally, 乐极生悲 means “Extreme joy produces sorrow”. It is used to mean “Extreme joy turns to sorrow”.
Where does 乐极生悲 come from?: 乐极生悲 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 乐极生悲?: 高兴到极点时，发生使人悲伤的事。

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