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久病无孝子

jiǔ bìng wú xiào zǐ
No filial child survives a parent's long illness.

Long illness, no filial child.

This is a shorter, more blunt version of the earlier saying,...

This is a shorter, more blunt version of the earlier saying, emphasizing that prolonged caregiving exhausts even the most devoted children. It's a resigned observation about human endurance.

Often quoted in elder care discussions, it serves as a warning to society to provide institutional support rather than relying solely on family duty.

Someone might say this when a caregiver expresses guilt for feeling resentful, to reassure them that their feelings are natural.

It destigmatizes caregiver burnout and opens a conversation about the practical limits of filial piety in modern life.

#family #human-nature #hard-times

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