不得善終

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Chinese

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to not get good end
trad. (不得善終) 不得 善終
simp. (不得善终) 不得 善终

Etymology

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From Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

:「私自藏匿異日不得善終刀箭!」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
:「私自藏匿异日不得善终刀箭!」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14th century CE
Jiān zhǐ tiān wèi shì yuē: “Wú ruò guǒ dé cǐ bǎo, sīzì cángnì, yìrì bùdéshànzhōng, sǐ yú dāojiàn zhī xià!” [Pinyin]
(Sun) Jian pointed to the sky to swear an oath that: "If I indeed obtained this treasure (Heirloom Seal of the Realm) yet secretly hid it, in the future I would not have a good end (of life) / not die a good death, but I would die by swords and arrows."

Pronunciation

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Verb

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不得善終

  1. (literary) to die a miserable death
  2. (literary, figurative) to meet with a tragic end; to be done in; to not have a favorable outcome

Synonyms

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