bỉ sắc tư phong

bỉ sắc tư phong

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 彼 (“that”), 嗇 (“insufficient”), 斯 (“this”) and 豐 (“bountiful”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓi˧˩ sak̚˧˦ tɨ˧˧ fawŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓɪj˧˨ ʂak̚˦˧˥ tɨ˧˧ fawŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʔɓɪj˨˩˦ ʂak̚˦˥ tɨ˧˧ fawŋ͡m˧˧] ~ [ʔɓɪj˨˩˦ sak̚˦˥ tɨ˧˧ fawŋ͡m˧˧]

Phrase

bỉ sắc tư phong

1. (who) is rich in this is poor in that; (figuratively) one cannot have it both ways
   • 1820, Nguyễn Du (阮攸), Truyện Kiều (傳翹) [The Tale of Kieu], Liễu Văn Ðường edition, published 1866, line 5–6:

     𨔍(Lạ)之(gì)彼(bỉ)嗇(sắc)斯(tư)豊(phong)
     𡗶(Trời)撑(xanh)涓(quen)貝(với)𦟐(má)紅(hồng)打(đánh)㭴(ghen)

     Rich in beauty, unlucky in life!
     Strange indeed! But little wonder,
     Since casting hatred upon rosy cheeks
     Is a habit of the Blue Sky.

See also

• được cái này mất cái kia (you win some, you lose some)