chưa thấy quan tài chưa đổ lệ

Vietnamese

Etymology

Calque of Chinese 不見棺材不落淚 / 不见棺材不落泪 (bùjiàn guāncái bù luòlèi)

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɨə˧˧ tʰəj˧˦ kwaːn˧˧ taːj˨˩ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ ʔɗo˧˩ le˧˨ʔ]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɨə˧˧ tʰəj˨˩˦ kwaːŋ˧˧ taːj˦˩ t͡ɕɨə˧˧ ʔɗow˧˨ lej˨˩ʔ]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [cɨə˧˧ tʰəj˦˥ waːŋ˧˧ taːj˨˩ cɨə˧˧ ʔɗow˨˩˦ lej˨˩˨]

Verb

chưa thấy quan tài chưa đổ lệ

1. (idiomatic) to refuse to be convinced until one is faced with the grim reality; to be tenacious, resolute or pertinacious in one's pursuit of a goal despite of obstacles or advice