📖 Meaning
To mourn the dead and care for the wounded. This idiom describes the compassionate practice of paying respects to those who have perished and providing aid to the injured, typically after a battle or disaster.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Nan Shi' (History of the Southern Dynasties), in the annals of Emperor Gao of the Southern Qi dynasty (Xiao Daocheng). The passage recounts a punitive military campaign where, after the first engagement, the emperor ordered condolence for the fallen soldiers and care for the wounded, thereby spreading imperial benevolence. The phrase also appears in the 'Ming Shi' (History of Ming), describing how Fang Zhenru went beyond the pass to meet his soldiers and tend to casualties, delighting both army and civilians.
💡 Example Usage
战后将军亲自吊死扶伤，深得将士拥戴。
After the battle, the general personally mourned the fallen and tended to the wounded, earning the deep devotion of his soldiers.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 吊死扶伤
- Pinyin: diào sǐ fú shāng
- Literal Translation: condole, dead, support, wounded
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4