vị tri sanh, yên tri tử
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Not yet knowing life, how know death — Confucius's answer to every question about the hereafter.
Literally: not yet knowing living, how know dying
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “vị tri sanh, yên tri tử” mean?
Not yet knowing life, how know death — Confucius's answer to every question about the hereafter. Literally: not yet knowing living, how know dying
Is “vị tri sanh, yên tri tử” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.