Chinese idiom · 成语
马革裹尸
Meaning
Wrapped in horsehide; to die honorably in battle.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical accountThe Dongguan Hanji's account of Ma Yuan, also reflected in his Hou Hanshu biography, records the general returning to the capital after a campaign. Rather than treat honors as the end of his service, he speaks of continuing to face threats on the frontier. He declares that he would prefer to die there and return for burial wrapped in horsehide rather than die comfortably at home.
The saying preserves that martial declaration. The horsehide is an austere battlefield covering, contrasted with the comforts of a household. Later writers use the expression for willingness to give one's life in war; the original statement expresses an aspiration, not evidence of exactly how his body was eventually buried.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
读到老兵年轻时写下的“马革裹尸”四个字，我久久不能平静。
Reading the veteran's youthful pledge to be ready to die on the battlefield left me deeply moved for a long time.
Solemn military or commemorative language; not an expression for ordinary workplace effort.