壮志未酬
zhuàng zhì wèi chóu
with one’s great ambitions unfulfilled
Character by character
壮zhuàng
grand
grand
志zhì
ambition
ambition
未wèi
not yet
not yet
酬chóu
fulfilled
fulfilled
Example
这位科学家壮志未酬，五十岁就因病去世了。
The scientist died of illness at fifty, his great ambitions unfulfilled.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
酬 here means “to fulfil (a wish)”. Used in obituaries and biographies of people who die before their life’s work is done; the longer form 壮志未酬身先死 echoes the Du Fu line in this lesson.
Learn this in Lesson 199 · HSK 7–9: 1913年的国会 (The parliament of 1913)
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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