死去活来 [- qù huó lái]faint and revive; fit to break one's heart; have fainted and recovered consciousness several times; hovering between life and death; (sob) one's heart out; (cried oneself) half dead; only half alive; pass out and come to several times; (be beaten) to within an inch of one's lift; (be flogged) within an inch of one's life:•¶ 被打得死去活来 be beaten half dead; be beaten within an inch of one's life; be brutally beaten
•¶ 哭得死去活来 cry oneself half dead; cry one's heart [eyes] out