Definition
痛不欲生 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning 'overwhelmed with grief to the point of not wanting to go on living'. It describes extreme emotional pain, often from loss or tragedy. The literal image is 'pain so great you don't want to live'. You can use it in formal or literary contexts, and it carries strong emotional weight — not a casual phrase.
f.e.
overwhelmed with griefdevastated (used for extreme emotional pain)
Examples
- ，痛不欲生。Tīng dào zhège huài xiāoxi, tā tòng bú.When he heard the bad news, he was devastated.
- ，痛不欲生，。Shīqù le zuì hǎo de péngyou, tā tòng bú, měitiān yǐ lèi xǐ miàn.After losing her best friend, she was overwhelmed with grief, washing her face with tears every day.
- 痛不欲生，。Nà zhǒng tòng bú de gǎnjué, zhǐyǒu jīnglì guò de rén cáinéng tǐhuì.That feeling of devastation can only be understood by those who have experienced it.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.