先斬後奏

See also: 先斩后奏

Chinese

		early; prior; former early; prior; former; in advance; first	behead; chop	back; behind; rear back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later	present a memorial; to achieve; to play
trad. (先斬後奏)		先	斬	後	奏
simp. (先斩后奏)		先	斩	后	奏
Literally: “behead first, report [to the emperor] later”.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiānzhǎnhòuzòu

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄢ ㄓㄢˇ ㄏㄡˋ ㄗㄡˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sin¹ zaam² hau⁶ zau³

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiānzhǎnhòuzòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢ ㄓㄢˇ ㄏㄡˋ ㄗㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sianjhǎnhòuzòu
    • Wade–Giles: hsien¹-chan³-hou⁴-tsou⁴
    • Yale: syān-jǎn-hòu-dzòu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shianjaanhowtzow
    • Palladius: сяньчжаньхоуцзоу (sjanʹčžanʹxouczou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂän²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡soʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: sin¹ zaam² hau⁶ zau³
    • Yale: sīn jáam hauh jau
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sin¹ dzaam² hau⁶ dzau³
    • Guangdong Romanization: xin¹ zam² heo⁶ zeo³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːn⁵⁵ t͡saːm³⁵ hɐu̯²² t͡sɐu̯³³/

Idiom

先斬後奏

1. to act first and report later; to act first and seek permission therefor later

   • 皇上御賜龍虎狗三口鍘刀，本府有先斬後奏之權。如何審不得你？ [MSC, trad.]
     皇上御赐龙虎狗三口铡刀，本府有先斩后奏之权。如何审不得你？ [MSC, simp.]

     From: Justice Bao

     Huángshàng yùcì lóng hǔ gǒu sān kǒu zhádāo, běnfǔ yǒu xiānzhǎnhòuzòu zhī quán. Rúhé shěn bùdé nǐ? [Pinyin]

     His Majesty granted me these three guillotines of canine, tiger, and dragon, by which I am authorised to kill first, report later. How can't I put you on trial?