世衰道微

Chinese

		life; age; generation life; age; generation; era; world; lifetime	weak; feeble; decline weak; feeble; decline; wane; mourning garments	direction; way; method direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk	tiny; minute; clandestine tiny; minute; clandestine; hide; elegant; exquisite
trad. (世衰道微)		世	衰	道	微
simp. ^#(世衰道微)		世	衰	道	微

Etymology

From Mencius:

世衰道微，邪說暴行有作，臣弒其君者有之，子弒其父者有之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

世衰道微，邪说暴行有作，臣弑其君者有之，子弑其父者有之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

Shìshuāidàowēi, xiéshuō bàoxìng yǒu zuò, chén shì qí jūn zhě yǒu zhī, zǐ shì qí fù zhě yǒu zhī. [Pinyin]

Again the world fell into decay, and principles faded away. Perverse speakings and oppressive deeds waxed rife again. There were instances of ministers who murdered their sovereigns, and of sons who murdered their fathers.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): shìshuāidàowēi, shìshuāidàowéi
(Zhuyin): ㄕˋ ㄕㄨㄞㄉㄠˋ ㄨㄟ, ㄕˋ ㄕㄨㄞㄉㄠˋ ㄨㄟˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): sai³ seoi¹ dou⁶ mei⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shìshuāidàowēi
  - Zhuyin: ㄕˋ ㄕㄨㄞㄉㄠˋ ㄨㄟ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shìhshuaidàowei
  - Wade–Giles: shih⁴-shuai¹-tao⁴-wei¹
  - Yale: shr̀-shwāi-dàu-wēi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyhshuaidawuei
  - Palladius: шишуайдаовэй (šišuajdaovɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʂwaɪ̯⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ weɪ̯⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan; dated variant in Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shìshuāidàowéi
  - Zhuyin: ㄕˋ ㄕㄨㄞㄉㄠˋ ㄨㄟˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shìhshuaidàowéi
  - Wade–Giles: shih⁴-shuai¹-tao⁴-wei²
  - Yale: shr̀-shwāi-dàu-wéi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyhshuaidawwei
  - Palladius: шишуайдаовэй (šišuajdaovɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʂwaɪ̯⁵⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: sai³ seoi¹ dou⁶ mei⁴
  - Yale: sai sēui douh mèih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sai³ soey¹ dou⁶ mei⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: sei³ sêu¹ dou⁶ méi⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐi̯³³ sɵy̯⁵⁵ tou̯²² mei̯²¹/

Idiom

世衰道微

the world falls into decay and moral values deteriorate