<p>不白 not in vain</p>

<p>他说：“人往高处走，<br>
He said: "People go upwards,<br>
水往低处流。<br>
water flows downwards<br>
我没有满足的时候。<br>
I don't have enough time.<br>
没见识过的东西还多着呢。<br>
There are many things I have not experienced.<br>
我什么都想试试，<br>
I want to try everything,<br>
这样才不白来世上一回。”<br>
only that way will this life not have been in vain.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T21:50:43.267Z
2018-06-02T21:50:43.267Z
Pedroski
<blockquote>
  <p>我什么都想试试，<strong>这样才不白来世上一回。</strong></p>
  
  <p><em>I want to experience/try many things, only then will I feel like my life hasn't been wasted.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>That is the general meaning. As for the bolded part:</p>

<ul>
<li>這樣才 - <em>only like/by doing this</em>, referring to 我什麽都想試試</li>
<li>白X - <em>a waste of effort to X</em></li>
<li>來世上 - <em>be born into the world</em></li>
<li>一回 - <em>one time</em></li>
</ul>

<p>來世上一回 is a figure of speech culturally referring to the possibility of reincarnation (being born multiple times). The idea is that coming into this world is a journey that takes effort, and while being here this person wants to experience as many things as possible.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T09:01:37.360Z
2018-06-02T09:07:35.673Z
2018-06-02T09:07:35.673Z
dROOOze
<p>In the following sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>他说：“人往高处走，水往低处流。我没有满足的时候。没见识过的东西还多着呢。我什么都想试试，<strong>这样才不白来世上一回</strong>。”</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I think the sentence means:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>He says: "People go higher, water flows into lower. I don't feel satisfied, have not seen everything yet. I want to see everything, ..."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But I don't understand the last part. Judged by the context, it might be something like the following:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>These could be experienced only once in the next life (...?)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Especially I don't understand what 白 means here. It might be "clear" (verb), but then the meaning would be:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>These could not be clear once in the next life (...?)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So what does it mean?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T09:00:03.670Z
The last part means *not to come to this world in vain*. 白 means *in vain*.
dan
<meaning-in-context>
What does 这样才不白来世上一回 mean?
# What does 这样才不白来世上一回 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-02)

In the following sentence:

> 他说：“人往高处走，水往低处流。我没有满足的时候。没见识过的东西还多着呢。我什么都想试试，**这样才不白来世上一回**。”

I think the sentence means:

> He says: "People go higher, water flows into lower. I don't feel satisfied, have not seen everything yet. I want to see everything, ..."

But I don't understand the last part. Judged by the context, it might be something like the following:

> These could be experienced only once in the next life (...?)

Especially I don't understand what 白 means here. It might be "clear" (verb), but then the meaning would be:

> These could not be clear once in the next life (...?)

So what does it mean?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The last part means *not to come to this world in vain*. 白 means *in vain*.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-02. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

> 我什么都想试试，**这样才不白来世上一回。**
>
> *I want to experience/try many things, only then will I feel like my life hasn't been wasted.*

That is the general meaning. As for the bolded part:

* 這樣才 - *only like/by doing this*, referring to 我什麽都想試試
* 白X - *a waste of effort to X*
* 來世上 - *be born into the world*
* 一回 - *one time*

來世上一回 is a figure of speech culturally referring to the possibility of reincarnation (being born multiple times). The idea is that coming into this world is a journey that takes effort, and while being here this person wants to experience as many things as possible.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-02. Score: 3

不白 not in vain

他说：“人往高处走，  
He said: "People go upwards,  
水往低处流。  
water flows downwards  
我没有满足的时候。  
I don't have enough time.  
没见识过的东西还多着呢。  
There are many things I have not experienced.  
我什么都想试试，  
I want to try everything,  
这样才不白来世上一回。”  
only that way will this life not have been in vain.


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