虛與委蛇

虛與委蛇

Chinese

		devoid of content; void; false devoid of content; void; false; empty; vain	and; to give; together with and; to give; together with; take part in; (interrog. part.)	calm and contented; leisurely; graceful
trad. (虛與委蛇)		虛	與	委蛇
simp. (虚与委蛇)		虚	与	委蛇

Etymology

From the book Zhuangzi:

鄉吾示之以未始出吾宗，吾與之虛而委蛇。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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乡吾示之以未始出吾宗，吾与之虚而委蛇。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

Xiàng wú shì zhī yǐ wèi shǐ chū wú zōng, wú yǔ zhī xū ér wēiyí. [Pinyin]

I was showing him myself after the pattern of what was before I began to come from my author. I confronted him with pure vacancy, and an easy indifference.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xūyǔwēiyí

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄩ ㄩˇ ㄨㄟ ㄧˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): heoi¹ jyu⁵ wai¹ ji⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xūyǔwēiyí
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄩ ㄩˇ ㄨㄟ ㄧˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: syuyǔweiyí
    • Wade–Giles: hsü¹-yü³-wei¹-i²
    • Yale: syū-yǔ-wēi-yí
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiuyeuueiyi
    • Palladius: сюйюйвэйи (sjujjujvɛji)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy⁵⁵ y²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ weɪ̯⁵⁵ i³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: heoi¹ jyu⁵ wai¹ ji⁴
    • Yale: hēui yúh wāi yìh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hoey¹ jy⁵ wai¹ ji⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: hêu¹ yu⁵ wei¹ yi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɵy̯⁵⁵ jyː¹³ wɐi̯⁵⁵ jiː²¹/

Idiom

虛與委蛇

1. pretense at complying; sham gestures of politeness