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Tag Archives: Chinese literature
The impossible wisdom
…of, you know, not deliberately endangering people. 明哲保身mei.tetsu.ho.shin Literally: bright – clear / philosophy – preserve – person Alternately: The wise and rational person avoids danger and thus remains safe. Alternately (through a common misinterpretation of 保身), this phrase may … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, Classic of Poetry, 防身, 詩経, 詩經, 诗经, safety, wisdom, 明哲, 保身
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Somebody remind the CEOs
Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”A plutocrat: “… I went to space. Best day ever!” 一将功成りて万骨枯る(Isshoukou narite bankotsu karu;“A general achieves glory; ten thousand bones dry out”) Definition: For each … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Chinese Antiquity, Chinese literature, classical Japanese grammar, 黄巣, large small, pyramid schemes, sacrifice, the cost of glory, 功成る, 己亥歳, 曹松, 枯れる, 一将, 万骨
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For acting poetry
起承転結ki.shou.ten.ketsu Literally: wake up – receive – revolve – bind Alternately: The four phases of a text, according to traditional analysis: “introduction, development, turn, and conclusion.” In other words, the setup, development, climax (or major change, twist, etc.), and resolution … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, classical poetry, 絶句, 起承転結, 起承転合, four-act structure, literary analysis, poetry, story structure
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Greetings from a distant riverside
If only the poets of Chinese Antiquity had had video chat, right? 渭樹江雲i.ju.kou.un Literally: Wei river – tree – large river – cloud Alternately: To miss, to think fondly of, or to worry about a friend who is far away. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese Antiquity, Chinese literature, distance, distant friends, Du Fu, 長江, 长江, friendship, Li Bai, 扬子江, 揚子江, 李白, 杜甫, 江雲, 渭樹, 渭水, 渭河
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They do toil, and they do spin
Humans aren’t plants, it turns out; we just raise ‘em. 粒粒辛苦ryuu.ryuu.shin.ku Literally: grain* / drop – grain* / drop – spicy / unpleasant – bitter / suffer Alternately: Hard, steady work. To carry on with plain, painstaking, long-term labor. Elbows … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, 粒々, 粒粒, 辛苦, hard work, pastoral poetry, perseverance, rice farming, 憫農, 李紳
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The best lover is one who breaks your spine
A book lover breaking your book’s spine, I mean. 葦編三絶i.hen.san.zetsu Literally: reed – braid – three – sever Alternately: Reading the same book over and over again. Close, careful, and frequent reading of a text. Notes: Think of a text … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged absolutely no double entendre, bibliophilia, book binding, bookworm, Chinese literature, 葦編, heavy reading, Records of the Grand Historian, Shiji, 史記, 史记, 孔子, 易経, 三絶
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Panta Rhei
流金鑠石ryuu.kin.shaku.seki Literally: flow – metal – melt* – stone Alternately: Incredible heat. Hot enough to soften and melt metal, or even stone. Notes: Bear in mind that there are multiple characters that can be rendered in English as “melt.” 鑠 … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, 焦土, 鑠石, global warming, heat dome, πάντα ῥεῖ, melting, panta rei, scorching heat, Songs of Chu, too hot, 楚辞, 楚辭, 流金
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An ounce of prevention is worth….
Buy it when prevention is cheap, not when cure is costly 治に居て乱を忘れず (Chi ni ite ran wo wasurezu; “In peace, do not forget strife”) Definition: Even in times of peace and safety, it’s still necessary to plan ahead in case … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Book of Changes, Chinese literature, classical grammar, preparation, prevention, when times are easy the wise get going, 易経, 易經, 易经
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Not quite cuckoo
But closer every day 鳩居鵲巣kyuu.kyo.jaku.sou Literally: dove – sit/be [in a place] – magpie – nest Alternately: Taking someone else’s achievements or social position for yourself. Undeservedly stealing someone else’s laurels or spotlight. Notes: This comes from our friend, the … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, Classic of Poetry, 詩経, 詩經, 鳩占, 鳩居, 鵲巣, magpies and doves, nest-building, stolen glory, undeserved status, 召南
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A Sangaria sangria
国破れて山河在り (Kuni yaburete sanga ari; “A country, destroyed; mountain and river, existing”) Definition: The works of humankind – castles, towns, countries – may fall or be destroyed, but the mountains and rivers remain. Kings and kingdoms pass, but Nature endures. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Chinese literature, Du Fu, endurance, existence, nature, ramune, transience, 国破れて, 國破山河在, 山河, 杜甫
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