自怨自艾

Chinese

to blame oneself to punish oneself
trad. (自怨自艾) 自怨 自艾
simp. #(自怨自艾) 自怨 自艾
Literally: “to regret the error and make it right”.

Etymology

From Mencius:

太甲顛覆典刑伊尹三年太甲悔過自怨自艾三年伊尹 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
太甲颠覆典刑伊尹三年太甲悔过自怨自艾三年伊尹 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Tàijiǎ diānfù Tāng zhī diǎnxíng, Yī Yǐn fàng zhī yú Tóng sānnián; Tàijiǎ huǐguò, zìyuàn zìyì, yú Tóng chǔ rén qiān yì, sānnián yǐ tīng Yī Yǐn zhī xùn jǐ yě, fù guī yú Bó. [Pinyin]
Tai Jia was then turning upside down the statutes of Tang, when Yi Yin placed him in Tong for three years. There Tai Jia repented of his errors, was contrite, and reformed himself. In Tong be came to dwell in benevolence and walk in righteousness, during those three years, listening to the lessons given to him by Yi Yin. Then Yi Yin again returned with him to Bo.

Originally including rectifying the previous wrongdoing. Now only regretting, literally excluding the latter part.

Pronunciation


Idiom

自怨自艾

  1. to be full of remorse and self-reproach