生于忧患，死于安乐 in English sheng1 yu2 you1 huan4 , si3 yu2 an1 le4 Meaning

Meanings

  • to thrive in calamity and perish in soft living (idiomatic expression)
  • life springs from sorrow and calamity, death comes from ease and pleasure

Simplified Characters

生 于 忧 患 ， 死 于 安 乐

Traditional Characters

生 於 憂 患 ， 死 於 安 樂

Pinyin

sheng1 yu2 you1 huan4 , si3 yu2 an1 le4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

生sheng1to be born 于yu2surname Yu 忧you1to worry 患huan4to suffer (from illness) ， 死si3to die 于yu2surname Yu 安an1surname An 乐le4surname Le