舍生忘死
shě shēng wàng sǐ
to risk one’s life without a second thought
Character by character
舍shě
give up
give up
生shēng
life
life
忘wàng
forget
forget
死sǐ
death
death
Example
消防员舍生忘死地冲进火场，救出了三个孩子。
The firefighters plunged into the blaze with no thought for their lives and brought out three children.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Praise for soldiers, firefighters and rescuers who risk death for others; solemn, used in tributes and news. Often 舍生忘死地 + verb. 舍 is shě (to give up) here, not shè. Close to 奋不顾身, which pictures one brave act; 舍生忘死 sounds grander and can describe a long struggle.
Learn this in Lesson 171 · HSK 7–9: 1998年的洪水 (The floods of 1998)
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.
Open the lesson →