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前赴后继 (qián fù hòu jì) — (idiom) to advance wave upon wave; to press forward dauntlessly, one after another

Definition

Idiom for people rushing forward in successive waves, each generation continuing the fight. Unlike 接二连三 (neutral successive events) or 勇往直前 (one hero's courage), it specifically praises collective self-sacrifice across waves.

idiom
to advance wave upon waveto press forward dauntlesslyone after another

Examples

  • 前赴后继，。
    Gé mìng xiān liè men qián fù hòu jì, yòng shēng mìng huàn lái le jīn tiān de hé píng.
    The revolutionary martyrs advanced wave after wave, exchanging their lives for today's peace.
  • ，前赴后继，。
    Zài kàng hóng jiù zāi zhōng, guān bīng men qián fù hòu jì, bǎo hù le qún zhòng de ān quán.
    During the flood relief efforts, the soldiers advanced wave after wave, protecting the safety of the people.
  • 前赴后继，。
    Kē yán tuán duì qián fù hòu jì, zhōng yú tū pò le jì shù nán guān.
    The research team pressed forward one after another and finally broke through the technical bottleneck.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

前赴front advances
前qiánfront赴fùadvance
主谓Subject + predicate
后继rear follows
后hòurear继jìfollow
主谓Subject + predicate

前赴 and 后继 are parallel: those in front advance and those behind follow.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
走走zǒurunning
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ赴fù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

赴 pairs 走, meaning running, with 卜, which gives the sound.

Open 赴 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 繼; 继 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
㡭
㡭㡭繼jì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繼 pairs 糸 (rope) with 㡭 as a sound part; an older form may have shown four silk strands. The simplified 继 is only a later shorthand.

Open 继 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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