無心插柳柳成蔭

無心插柳柳成蔭

See also: 无心插柳柳成荫

Chinese

		without the desire or intention; unwitting; unwittingly	insert; stick in; pierce insert; stick in; pierce; to take part in; to interfere; to interpose	willow; surname	willow; surname	finish; complete; accomplish finish; complete; accomplish; become; turn into; win; succeed; one tenth	shade
trad. (無心插柳柳成蔭)		無心	插	柳	柳	成	蔭
simp. (无心插柳柳成荫)		无心	插	柳	柳	成	荫

Etymology

Literally: unwittingly plant a willow tree which later provides shade

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wúxīn chā liǔ liǔ chéng yìn

  (Zhuyin): ㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄔㄚ ㄌㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧㄡˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄧㄣˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): mou⁴ sam¹ caap³ lau⁵ lau⁵ sing⁴ jam³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: wúxīn chā liǔ liǔ chéng yìn [Phonetic: wúxīnchāliúliǔchéngyìn]
    • Zhuyin: ㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄔㄚ ㄌㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧㄡˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄧㄣˋ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wushin cha leou leou cherng yinn
    • IPA ^(key): /u³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵ li̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ li̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ in⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: mou⁴ sam¹ caap³ lau⁵ lau⁵ sing⁴ jam³
    • Yale: mòuh sām chaap láuh láuh sìhng yam
    • Cantonese Pinyin: mou⁴ sam¹ tsaap⁸ lau⁵ lau⁵ sing⁴ jam³
    • Guangdong Romanization: mou⁴ sem¹ cab³ leo⁵ leo⁵ xing⁴ yem³
    • IPA ^(key): /mou̯²¹ sɐm⁵⁵ t͡sʰäːp̚³ lɐu̯¹³ lɐu̯¹³ sɪŋ²¹ jɐm³³/

Idiom

無心插柳柳成蔭

1. to do something which unintentionally returns positive results