survive in disgrace; live without honor
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to survive in disgrace; to cling to life without integrity; to live on in humiliation (often contrasted with dying honorably)
literaryAlmost exclusively appears in the set phrase '宁为玉碎，不为瓦全' (Better to be a shattered jewel than an intact tile), contrasting honorable death with humiliating survival. Rarely used alone except in literary or rhetorical contexts.
Gǔ古
rén人
yún云
：
nìng宁
wéi为
yù玉
suì碎
，
bù不
wéi为
wǎ瓦
quán全
。
The ancients said: Better to die with honor than to survive in disgrace.
Dà大
zhàng丈
fu夫
qǐ岂
néng能
wǎ瓦
quán全
yú于
dí敌
kòu寇
zhī之
xià下
？
How could a true man survive in humiliation under the enemy?
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Tā他
nìng宁
yuàn愿
yù玉
suì碎
yě也
bù不
yuàn愿
wǎ瓦
quán全
。
He would rather die honorably than live in disgrace.
Wǎ瓦
quán全
zhī之
bèi辈
，
hé何
zú足
guà挂
chǐ齿
。
Those who survive in disgrace are not worth mentioning.