嘆為觀止

Chinese

		to sigh	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	to be good beyond comparison; to be the cream of the crop
trad. (嘆為觀止/歎為觀止)		嘆/歎	為	觀止
simp. (叹为观止)		叹	为	观止

Etymology

吳公子札來聘……見舞《韶箾》者，曰：‘德至矣哉，大矣！如天之無不幬也，如地之無不載也。雖甚盛德，其蔑以加於此矣，觀止矣。若有他樂，吾不敢請已。 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]

吴公子札来聘……见舞《韶箾》者，曰：‘德至矣哉，大矣！如天之无不幬也，如地之无不载也。虽甚盛德，其蔑以加于此矣，观止矣。若有他乐，吾不敢请已。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, circa 4^th century BCE

Wú Gōngzǐ Zhá lái pìn...... Jiàn wǔ “Sháoxiāo” zhě, yuē: ‘Dé zhì yǐ zāi, dà yǐ! Rú tiān zhī wú bù 幬 yě, rú dì zhī wú bù zǎi yě. Suī shèn shèng dé, qí miè yǐ jiā yú cǐ yǐ, guān zhǐ yǐ. Ruò yǒu tā yuè, wú bù gǎn qǐng yǐ. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this example)

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): tànwéiguānzhǐ
(Zhuyin): ㄊㄢˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄍㄨㄢㄓˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): taan³ wai⁴ gun¹ zi²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: tànwéiguānzhǐ
  - Zhuyin: ㄊㄢˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄍㄨㄢㄓˇ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tannweiguanjyy
  - IPA ^(key): /tʰän⁵¹ u̯eɪ̯³⁵ ku̯än⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: taan³ wai⁴ gun¹ zi²
  - Yale: taan wàih gūn jí
  - Cantonese Pinyin: taan³ wai⁴ gun¹ dzi²
  - Guangdong Romanization: tan³ wei⁴ gun¹ ji²
  - IPA ^(key): /tʰäːn³³ wɐi̯²¹ kuːn⁵⁵ t͡siː³⁵/

Idiom

嘆為觀止

to gasp in amazement; to acclaim as the peak of perfection