<p>The proverb origin from an ancient quote：</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>《韩非子·外储说左下》：“三军既成阵，使士视死如归，臣不如公子成父。” </p>
  
  <p>Train the army to follow proper formation, make the general deal with death like normal, ChengFu is doing such job better than me</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The proverb carry the meaning of</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Know the dire consequences but not afraid to face it.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It can be used to describe or emphasize either </p>

<ul>
<li>bravely</li>
<li>Bold</li>
<li>heroism</li>
<li>fanaticism</li>
<li>naive stupid act</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-20T09:42:54.950Z
2017-02-20T09:42:54.950Z
mootmoot
<p>视死如归 is more like second translation</p>
<p>if you want use first translation<br />
i suggest use</p>
<h2>落叶归根</h2>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-19T11:11:08.747Z
bkrs: 落叶归根 Getting Home, 2007 PRC comedy-drama film directed by 张扬[Zhāng Yáng], starring 赵本山[Zhào Běn shān]
luò yè guī gēn
lit. a falling leaf returns to the roots (idiom)
fig. all things go back to their source eventually
in old age, an expatriate returns home
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-19T09:50:35.163Z
2017-02-19T09:55:50.023Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Felix
<p>Both definitions are correct.</p>
<p><strong>多功能成语词典</strong> explains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>解释</strong> 视:看待;归:回家｡把死看作像回家一样｡形容不怕死｡多指为了正义事业而勇于牺牲自己的生命｡</p>
</blockquote>
<p>视: treat ;归: returning home. to treat death the same as returning home. To describe being fearless in the face of death. Refers mostly to bravely sacrificing oneself for a righteous cause.</p>
<p>They also give an example sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>例句</strong> 面对敌人的屠刀,革命先烈视死如归,大义凛然｡</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A, more literal, translation would be something like:</p>
<p><em>Facing the butchers knives of the enemy, the martyrs to the revolution treated death as returning home, righteousness abounds.</em></p>
<p>Another translation you can have a look at from <em>A Chinese-English Dictionary</em>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>刘胡兰临刑时, 大义凛然, 视死如归。</p>
<p>Liu Hulan faced the executioner's ax with a fortitude that commanded admiration and respect.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This phrase is mostly seen in connection with <strong>martyrdom</strong> and <em>warfare</em>.</p>
<p>Some other definitions that might help:</p>
<p><strong>ABC</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>face death unflinchingly</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Oxford</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>meet one's death like a hero</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>CC-CEDICT</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>1 to view death as a return home</p>
<p>2 to not be afraid of dying</p>
<p>3 to face death with equanimity (idiom)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I doubt you'd ever use this phrase to console anybody, even if you did it'd be strange unless they were dying for some big cause or fighting in a war.</p>
<p>There is an antonym: <strong>贪生怕死</strong> which CC-CEDICT defines as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>1 greedy for life, afraid of death (idiom); craven and cowardly</p>
<p>2 clinging abjectly to life</p>
<p>3 only interested in saving one's neck</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-16T16:44:39.007Z
It was more meant as tattoo in my case for the death of a loved one.
Loko
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-16T16:48:14.160Z
@Loko I wouldn't say it's arrogant at all. Just "fearless in the face of death" - if you think that fits what you're looking for.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-16T16:48:54.703Z
Yeah anyway, thanks for the answer and explanation.
Loko
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-16T15:55:57.080Z
2017-02-16T16:03:35.103Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>I cant understand chinese at all and I found this phrase: 视死如归 which translates to "See death as returning home" but also to "Not afraid of death". I think the second translation comes over as very arrogant.</p>

<p>If you would say or write this to someone, would they take it as so to speak "Death could be a good thing(as you will find rest when you die or something like that)" or "Be tough"? If this is more hanging to the second translation, is there a better chinese sentence that would mean something like the first phrase?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-16T15:48:08.637Z
bkrs：视死如归    to view death as a return home
to not be afraid of dying
to face death with equanimity (idiom) 把死看得象回家一样平常。形容不怕牺牲生命  also  see  jukuu's 11 examples for 视死如归 (face death calmly, with equanimity)
user6065
<translation>
Is 视死如归 seen as "See death as returning home"(Respect to someone who died) or "Not afraid of death"(arrogance)
# Is 视死如归 seen as "See death as returning home"(Respect to someone who died) or "Not afraid of death"(arrogance)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-16)

I cant understand chinese at all and I found this phrase: 视死如归 which translates to "See death as returning home" but also to "Not afraid of death". I think the second translation comes over as very arrogant.

If you would say or write this to someone, would they take it as so to speak "Death could be a good thing(as you will find rest when you die or something like that)" or "Be tough"? If this is more hanging to the second translation, is there a better chinese sentence that would mean something like the first phrase?

**Tags:** translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs：视死如归    to view death as a return home to not be afraid of dying to face death with equanimity (idiom) 把死看得象回家一样平常。形容不怕牺牲生命  also  see  jukuu's 11 examples for 视死如归 (face death calmly, with equanimity)  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-02-16. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Both definitions are correct.

**多功能成语词典** explains:

> **解释** 视:看待;归:回家｡把死看作像回家一样｡形容不怕死｡多指为了正义事业而勇于牺牲自己的生命｡

视: treat ;归: returning home. to treat death the same as returning home. To describe being fearless in the face of death. Refers mostly to bravely sacrificing oneself for a righteous cause.

They also give an example sentence:

> **例句** 面对敌人的屠刀,革命先烈视死如归,大义凛然｡

A, more literal, translation would be something like:

*Facing the butchers knives of the enemy, the martyrs to the revolution treated death as returning home, righteousness abounds.*

Another translation you can have a look at from *A Chinese-English Dictionary*:

> 刘胡兰临刑时, 大义凛然, 视死如归。
>
> Liu Hulan faced the executioner's ax with a fortitude that commanded admiration and respect.

This phrase is mostly seen in connection with **martyrdom** and *warfare*.

Some other definitions that might help:

**ABC**

> face death unflinchingly

**Oxford**

> meet one's death like a hero

**CC-CEDICT**

> 1 to view death as a return home
>
> 2 to not be afraid of dying
>
> 3 to face death with equanimity (idiom)

I doubt you'd ever use this phrase to console anybody, even if you did it'd be strange unless they were dying for some big cause or fighting in a war.

There is an antonym: **贪生怕死** which CC-CEDICT defines as:

> 1 greedy for life, afraid of death (idiom); craven and cowardly
>
> 2 clinging abjectly to life
>
> 3 only interested in saving one's neck

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It was more meant as tattoo in my case for the death of a loved one.  
> **username_4**: @username_0 I wouldn't say it's arrogant at all. Just "fearless in the face of death" - if you think that fits what you're looking for.  
> **username_0**: Yeah anyway, thanks for the answer and explanation.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-02-20. Score: 0

The proverb origin from an ancient quote：

> 《韩非子·外储说左下》：“三军既成阵，使士视死如归，臣不如公子成父。”
>
> Train the army to follow proper formation, make the general deal with death like normal, ChengFu is doing such job better than me

The proverb carry the meaning of

> Know the dire consequences but not afraid to face it.

It can be used to describe or emphasize either

* bravely
* Bold
* heroism
* fanaticism
* naive stupid act


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-19. Score: -2

视死如归 is more like second translation

if you want use first translation  
i suggest use

## 落叶归根

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs: 落叶归根 Getting Home, 2007 PRC comedy-drama film directed by 张扬[Zhāng Yáng], starring 赵本山[Zhào Běn shān] luò yè guī gēn lit. a falling leaf returns to the roots (idiom) fig. all things go back to their source eventually in old age, an expatriate returns home  

---

