出师未捷身先死
chū​shī​wèi​jié​shēn​xiān​sǐ

he died before achieving victory

  1. 出师 出師 chū​shī
    to send out troops
    To dispatch an army or send out troops to engage in battle.
  2. 未 wèi adverb
    not yet
    (bound form) not yet; have not; did not; shows that something has not happened or is not yet complete
  3. 捷 jié
    victory
    (bound form) victory; triumph; to be victorious
  4. 身 shēn nounpronoun
    self
    one's own person; oneself; personally
  5. 先 xiān adverb
    first
    earlier in time or sequence; beforehand; in advance
  6. 死 sǐ verb
    to die
    to die; to pass away; to perish