先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐

xiān tiān xià zhī yōu ér yōu , hòu tiān xià zhī lè ér lè

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Definitions

1. The first concern is affairs of state, enjoying the pleasure comes later. Quotation from essay On Yueyang Tower 岳陽樓記|岳阳楼记 by Song writer Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹[fàn zhòng yān]

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Child Words of 先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐

• 下 下 xià: down
• 之 之 zhī: (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de])
• 先 先 xiān: early
• 先天 先天 xiān tiān: embryonic period (contrasted with 後天|后天 [hòu tiān])
• 后 后 hòu: empress
• 天 天 tiān: day
• 天下 天下 tiān xià: land under heaven
• 后天 后天 hòu tiān: the day after tomorrow
• 乐 乐 lè: happy
• 乐 乐 yuè: music
• 而 而 ér: and
• 忧 忧 yōu: to worry