蠢迪撿押
Chinese
to wiggle | direct; follow | norm, rule | cage, rule | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (蠢迪撿押/蠢迪檢押/蠢迪檢柙) | 蠢 | 迪 | 撿/檢 | 押/柙 | |
simp. (蠢迪捡押/蠢迪检押/蠢迪检柙) | 蠢 | 迪 | 捡/检 | 押/柙 |
Etymology
From Yang Xiong, Fayan (《法言》, "Exemplary Sayings"):
- 君子純終領聞,蠢迪撿押。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Yang Xiong, Fa Yan (Exemplary Sayings), 9 CE, translated based on Jeffrey S. Bullock's version
- Jūnzǐ chún zhōng lǐng wén, chǔndíjiǎnyā. [Pinyin]
- The junzi is pure to the end and earns a fine reputation. His actions follow standards and norms.
君子纯终领闻,蠢迪捡押。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
The rare (and now obsolete) form might have been a deliberate, character-by-character obfuscation of 動由規矩 (literally, "every action, no matter how small, follows the rules and norms").[1]
Pronunciation
Verb
蠢迪撿押
- (archaic, literary, obsolete) to follow rules; to comply with the norms
References
- 魯迅 (1934), “作文秘訣”, in 南腔北調集 (in Chinese), 同文書局