Chinese edit

 
red; pellet; powder
red; pellet; powder; cinnabar
book; letter iron
 
deed; bond; contract
deed; bond; contract; ticket
trad. (丹書鐵券)
simp. (丹书铁券)

Etymology edit

First attested in the Book of the Later Han:

丹書鐵券無窮 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
丹书铁券无穷 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5th century CE
Dānshūtiěquàn, chuán yú wúqióng. [Pinyin]
Red books and iron bonds are passed on eternally.

Pronunciation edit


Noun edit

丹書鐵券

  1. (historical) A privilege proof in ancient times, signed by the emperor of China