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未知生,焉知死

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chinese

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not yet; 8th earthly branch; 1–3 p.m. to know; to be aware
to be born; to give birth; life
to be born; to give birth; life; to grow; student; raw
 
where; how to know; to be aware
to die; impassable; uncrossable
to die; impassable; uncrossable; inflexible; rigid
 
trad. (未知生,焉知死)
simp. #(未知生,焉知死)

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 11 (《論語·先進》):

季路鬼神子曰:「?」敢問:「未知生,焉知死?」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
季路鬼神子曰:「?」敢问:「未知生,焉知死?」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Jìlù wèn shì guǐshén. Zǐyuē: “Wèi néng shì rén, yān néng shì guǐ?” Gǎnwèn sǐ. Yuē: “Wèi zhī shēng, yān zhī sǐ?” [Pinyin]
Jilu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said, "While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?" Ji Lu added, "I venture to ask about death?" He was answered, "While you do not know life, how can you know about death?"

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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未知生,焉知死

  1. While you do not know life, how can you know about death?