痛哭流涕

Chinese

to cry bitterly; to wail; to cry one's heart out
to cry; to sob; to have a runny nose
to cry; to sob; to have a runny nose; to run at the nose
 
trad. (痛哭流涕) 痛哭 流涕
simp. #(痛哭流涕) 痛哭 流涕

Etymology

From the beginning of Jia Yi's memorial to Emperor Wen of Han:

臣竊惟事勢，可爲痛哭者一，可爲流涕者二，可爲長太息者六。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
臣窃惟事势，可为痛哭者一，可为流涕者二，可为长太息者六。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: c. 173 BCE, 賈誼,《治安策》(On the Government of Peace) a.k.a.《陳政事疏》
Chén qiè wéi shìshì, kě wèi tòngkū zhě yī, kě wèi liútì zhě èr, kě wèi cháng tàixī zhě liù. [Pinyin]
I have privately considered the current situation: there is one matter that merits wailing, two that merit weeping, and six that merit deep sighs.

Pronunciation

Idiom

痛哭流涕

  1. to cry one's eyes out
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