兄弟鬩牆
Chinese
brother; brethren; brothers and sisters brother; brethren; brothers and sisters; siblings | |||
---|---|---|---|
trad. (兄弟鬩牆) | 兄弟 | 鬩牆 | |
simp. (兄弟阋墙) | 兄弟 | 阋墙 | |
Literally: “brothers quarrelling inside the walls”. |
Etymology
From Shijing:
- 兄弟鬩于牆,外禦其務。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Xiōngdì xì yú qiáng, wài yù qí wù. [Pinyin]
- Brothers may quarrel inside the walls,
But they will oppose insult from without.
兄弟阋于墙,外御其务。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Idiom
兄弟鬩牆
- (figuratively) internal dispute