hover between life and death; cry one's heart out
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to faint and revive; to hover between life and death; to cry one's heart out; to be in excruciating pain
Commonly used in the structures '哭得死去活来' (crying one's heart out) or '疼得死去活来' (being in excruciating pain). Can be used for both emotional grief and physical pain.
Tīng听
dào到
è噩
hào耗
，
tā她
kū哭
de得
sǐ死
qù去
huó活
lái来
。
Upon hearing the bad news, she cried her heart out.
Tā他
de的
tuǐ腿
téng疼
de得
sǐ死
qù去
huó活
lái来
，
zhěng整
yè夜
shuì睡
bù不
zháo着
。
His leg hurt so much it was excruciating, and he couldn't sleep all night.
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Shī失
qù去
hái孩
zi子
de的
fù父
mǔ母
bēi悲
tòng痛
de得
sǐ死
qù去
huó活
lái来
。
The parents who lost their child were grief-stricken.