含笑九泉 (hán xiào jiǔ quán) — to die content and without regret (idiom)

Definition

Literary idiom meaning to die with no regrets, content and at peace. 九泉 ('nine springs') is a poetic name for the underworld, so it cannot be used for everyday contexts — reserve it for solemn writing or eulogies.

idiom
to die content and without regret (idiom)

Examples

  • ，含笑九泉。
    Kàn dào hái zi shì yè yǒu chéng, lǎo rén zhōng yú kě yǐ hán xiào jiǔ quán le.
    Seeing his child successful in his career, the old man could finally die content.
  • ，含笑九泉。
    Rú guǒ xiōng shǒu bèi shéng zhī yǐ fǎ, shòu hài zhě jiā shǔ cái néng hán xiào jiǔ quán.
    Only if the murderer is brought to justice can the victim's family rest in peace.
  • ，：“含笑九泉。”
    Tā yì shēng wèi guó fèng xiàn, lín zhōng qián shuō: "wǒ hán xiào jiǔ quán yǐ."
    He dedicated his life to the country and said before passing: 'I die without regret.'

Origin

Characters in this word

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn含hán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

含 is built from 口 (mouth) and 今 (jīn). The 口 part is about the mouth, while 今 gives the sound.

Open 含 →

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
犬犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
艸
艸cǎo笑xiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early 笑 used the grass 艸 for the sound and the dog 犬 for the meaning; later it was written with 竹 and 夭.

Open 笑 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape comes from a stylized hand bent at the wrist, with the lower-right hook showing the bend. Later, it was taken to show a tightened fist bumping up to ten, giving the number nine.

Open 九 →

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

泉 pairs 白 (spring mouth) with 水 (water) to show water flowing from the source of a spring.

Open 泉 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.