出生入死
chū shēng rù sǐ
to risk one’s life again and again; to go through fire and water
Character by character
出chū
leave
leave
生shēng
life
life
入rù
enter
enter
死sǐ
death
death
Example
他当了二十年消防员，出生入死，救过上百人。
He was a firefighter for twenty years, risking his life time and again, and saved more than a hundred people.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
In the 《老子》 it meant simply “from birth to death”; today it is said of soldiers, firefighters, rescuers and war reporters who face death again and again. 出生入死的战友 are comrades who went through it together.
Learn this in Lesson 205 · HSK 7–9: 飞虎队与驼峰航线 (The Flying Tigers and the Hump)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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