秋後算賬

Chinese

		autumn; fall; harvest time autumn; fall; harvest time; a swing	back; behind; rear back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later	to do accounts; to balance the books; to make out the bills
trad. (秋後算賬)		秋	後	算賬
simp. (秋后算账)		秋	后	算账
alternative forms		秋後算帳／秋后算帐
Literally: “settling accounts after the autumn harvest”.

Etymology

From the historical judicial practice where less-serious prisoners on death row would not be executed immediately after sentencing, but during autumn.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): qiūhòusuànzhàng

  (Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄡ ㄏㄡˋ ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄓㄤˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): cau¹ hau⁶ syun³ zoeng³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: qiūhòusuànzhàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄡ ㄏㄡˋ ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄓㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ciouhòusuànjhàng
    • Wade–Giles: chʻiu¹-hou⁴-suan⁴-chang⁴
    • Yale: chyōu-hòu-swàn-jàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chiouhowsuannjanq
    • Palladius: цюхоусуаньчжан (cjuxousuanʹčžan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ su̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: cau¹ hau⁶ syun³ zoeng³
    • Yale: chāu hauh syun jeung
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsau¹ hau⁶ syn³ dzoeng³
    • Guangdong Romanization: ceo¹ heo⁶ xun³ zêng³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵ hɐu̯²² syːn³³ t͡sœːŋ³³/

Idiom

秋後算賬

1. to wait until the time is ripe to settle accounts, to bide time for revenge
2. to get revenge after a matter is over