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宁为玉碎，不为瓦全

nìng wéi yù suì , bù wéi wǎ quándictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
Better broken jade than intact tile. / Death is preferable to dishonor. (idiom)
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-2681f19ea1837218. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

寧為玉碎，不為瓦全 宁为玉碎，不为瓦全 [ning4 wei2 yu4 sui4 , bu4 wei2 wa3 quan2] /Better broken jade than intact tile./Death is preferable to dishonor. (idiom)/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 寧為玉碎，不為瓦全

  • 宁
    zhù

    to store / to stand / space between the door and the entrance screen

    nìng

    would rather / to prefer / how (emphatic) / Taiwan pr. [níng]

    níng

    peaceful / to pacify / to visit (one's parents etc)

    Níng

    abbr. for Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 寧夏回族自治區|宁夏回族自治区[Níng xià Huí zú Zì zhì qū] / abbr. for Nanjing 南京[Nán jīng] / surname Ning

  • 为
    wéi

    as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice)

    wèi

    because of / for / to

  • 玉
    yù

    jade

  • 碎
    suì

    (transitive or intransitive) to break into pieces / to shatter / to crumble / broken / fragmentary / scattered / garrulous

  • 不
    bù

    no / not so / (bound form) not / un-

  • 为
    wéi

    as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice)

    wèi

    because of / for / to

  • 瓦
    wǎ

    roof tile / abbr. for 瓦特[wǎ tè]

  • 全
    quán

    all / whole / entire / every / complete

    Quán

    surname Quan

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.