前人栽树，后人乘凉

前人栽樹，後人乘涼
qiánrénzāishù,hòurénchéngliáng
to enjoy the benefits of the hard work of one's predecessors. (idiom)

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 前人 qiánrén
  1. predecessor
  2. forebears
  3. the person facing you
2 栽 zāi
  1. to plant; to grow
  2. to insert; to erect (e.g. a bus stop sign)
  3. to impose sth on sb
  4. to stumble; to fall down
3 树 shù
  1. tree
  2. to cultivate
  3. to set up

classifier: 棵
4 后人 hòurén later generation
5 乘凉 chéngliáng to cool off in the shade