少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲

Chinese

		young and vigorous	not; no	to make an effort; to strive; to endeavor to make an effort; to strive; to endeavor; to work hard; hard-working; diligent; industrious		old; eldest among the siblings	merely; only; just	sad; sorrowful
trad. (少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲)		少壯	不	努力	，	老大	徒	傷悲
simp. (少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲)		少壮	不	努力	，	老大	徒	伤悲

Etymology

青青園中葵，朝露待日晞。
陽春布德澤，萬物生光輝。
常恐秋節至，焜黃華葉衰。
百川東到海，何時復西歸？
少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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青青园中葵，朝露待日晞。
阳春布德泽，万物生光辉。
常恐秋节至，焜黄华叶衰。
百川东到海，何时复西归？
少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Han Dynasty, Unknown, Chang Ge Xing (長歌行)

Qīngqīng yuán zhōng kuí, zhāolù dài rì xī.
Yángchūn bù dézé, wànwù shēng guānghuī.
Cháng kǒng qiū jié zhì, kūnhuáng huā yè cūi.
Bǎichuān dōng dào hǎi, héshí fù xī guī?
Shàozhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shāngbēi. [Pinyin]

Green are the garden mallow flowers, in the hot sun the dews of morning dry.
The sunshine of spring benevolence showers, and bathes all things in brilliant glory.
Yet we fear as autumn tides come again, all plants and flowers will soon withered be.
When will the rivers flow to the west again, since they all roll eastward to the sea?
If one wastes his time in golden youth, he can but pass his old age in bitter ruth.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shàozhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shāngbēi

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄠˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄨˇ ㄌㄧˋ , ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ ㄊㄨˊ ㄕㄤ ㄅㄟ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): siu³ zong³ bat¹ nou⁵ lik⁶, lou⁵ daai⁶ tou⁴ soeng¹ bei¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shàozhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shāngbēi
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄠˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄨˇ ㄌㄧˋ , ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ ㄊㄨˊ ㄕㄤ ㄅㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shàojhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shangbei
    • Wade–Giles: shao⁴-chuang⁴ pu⁴ nu³-li⁴, lao³-ta⁴ tʻu² shang¹-pei¹
    • Yale: shàu-jwàng bù nǔ-lì-, lǎu-dà tú shāng-bēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shawjuanq bu nuulih, laodah twu shangbei
    • Palladius: шаочжуан бу нули, лаода ту шанбэй (šaočžuan bu nuli, laoda tu šanbɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ nu²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹ tʰu³⁵ ʂɑŋ⁵⁵ peɪ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: siu³ zong³ bat¹ nou⁵ lik⁶, lou⁵ daai⁶ tou⁴ soeng¹ bei¹
    • Yale: siu jong bāt nóuh lihk, lóuh daaih tòuh sēung bēi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: siu³ dzong³ bat⁷ nou⁵ lik⁹, lou⁵ daai⁶ tou⁴ soeng¹ bei¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: xiu³ zong³ bed¹ nou⁵ lig⁶, lou⁵ dai⁶ tou⁴ sêng¹ béi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːu̯³³ t͡sɔːŋ³³ pɐt̚⁵ nou̯¹³ lɪk̚² lou̯¹³ taːi̯²² tʰou̯²¹ sœːŋ⁵⁵ pei̯⁵⁵/

Proverb

少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲

1. laziness in youth spells regret in old age; reckless youth makes rueful age; an idle youth, a needy age.

See also

• (Hokkien) 少年𣍐曉想，食老毋成樣 / 少年𫧃晓想，食老毋成样