已而

已而

Chinese

		already; to stop; then already; to stop; then; afterwards	and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
simp. and trad. (已而)		已	而
anagram		而已

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yǐ'ér

  (Zhuyin): ㄧˇ ㄦˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ji⁵ ji⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: yǐ'ér
    • Zhuyin: ㄧˇ ㄦˊ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yyierl
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yǐ'ér
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: ji⁵ ji⁴
    • Yale: yíh yìh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ji⁵ ji⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yi⁵ yi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiː¹³ jiː²¹/

Adverb

已而

1. (literary) soon; before long

Verb

已而

1. (literary) forget it; let it be

   Synonyms: 算了 (suànle)

   • 楚狂接輿歌而過孔子曰：「鳳兮！鳳兮！何德之衰？往者不可諫，來者猶可追。已而，已而！今之從政者殆而！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     楚狂接舆歌而过孔子曰：“凤兮！凤兮！何德之衰？往者不可谏，来者犹可追。已而，已而！今之从政者殆而！” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, circa 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Chǔ kuáng Jiēyú gē ér guò kǒngzǐ yuē: “Fèng xī! Fèng xī! Hé dé zhī shuāi? Wǎng zhě bùkě jiàn, lái zhě yóu kě zhuī. Yǐ'ér, yǐ'ér! Jīn zhī cóngzhèngzhě dài ér!” [Pinyin]

     The madman of Chu, Jie Yu, passed by Confucius, singing and saying, "O Feng! O Feng! How is your virtue degenerated! As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government."