尾大不掉
Chinese
tail | big; great; huge big; great; huge; large; major; wide; deep; oldest; eldest; doctor | not; no | to drop; to fall | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
simp. and trad. (尾大不掉) | 尾 | 大 | 不 | 掉 |
Etymology
From Zuo Zhuan:
- 末大必折,尾大不掉,君所知也。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
- From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
- Mòdàbìzhé, wěidàbùdiào, jūn suǒ zhī yě. [Pinyin]
- (please add an English translation of this example)
Pronunciation
Idiom
尾大不掉
- a subordinate becomes too powerful for their superior to control