四面楚歌
Chinese
editfour directions; all sides; all around | distinct; clear; orderly distinct; clear; orderly; pain; suffering; ancient place name; surname |
song | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
simp. and trad. (四面楚歌) |
四面 | 楚 | 歌 | |
Literally: “surrounded on four sides by the songs of Chu”. |
Etymology
editIn reference to the Battle of Gaixia:
- During the Chu–Han Contention, Xiang Yu (項羽) found himself besieged in the city of Gaixia (垓下), by the coalition force of Han and the other kings. Jiujiang fell to Ying Bu and Liu Jia the preceding month, and most of the Kingdom of Chu was occupied by the Han army. When he heard the besieging troops singing songs in the Chu accent, Xiang Yu knew his kingdom had fallen.
The situation was also mentioned in Consort Yu's poem to her husband Xiang Yu after his suicide:
- 漢兵已略地,四方楚歌聲。大王意氣盡,賤妾何聊生。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Correct Meaning of the Records of the Grand Historian, by Zhang Shoujie
- Hàn bīng yǐ lüè dì, sìfāng chǔ gēshēng. Dàwáng yìqì jìn, jiànqiè hé liáoshēng. [Pinyin]
- The Han army has conquered our land, Surrounded with the singing of Chu. My lord's spirits are low, Why then should I live?
汉兵已略地,四方楚歌声。大王意气尽,贱妾何聊生。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
edit- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄙˋ ㄇㄧㄢˋ ㄔㄨˇ ㄍㄜ
- Tongyong Pinyin: sìhmiànchǔge
- Wade–Giles: ssŭ4-mien4-chʻu3-ko1
- Yale: sz̀-myàn-chǔ-gē
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: syhmiannchuuge
- Palladius: сымяньчугэ (symjanʹčugɛ)
- Sinological IPA (key): /sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ mi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: sei3 min6 co2 go1
- Yale: sei mihn chó gō
- Cantonese Pinyin: sei3 min6 tso2 go1
- Guangdong Romanization: séi3 min6 co2 go1
- Sinological IPA (key): /sei̯³³ miːn²² t͡sʰɔː³⁵ kɔː⁵⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Wu
Note: Tone sandhi within chengyu often vary from person to person..
Idiom
edit四面楚歌
- facing hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides
- 當地時間8月7日,四面楚歌的蘭迪斯為自己做出了最後的辯護。這是他在B瓶尿樣呈陽性結果被披露後接受的第一次採訪。 [MSC, trad.]
- From: 2006: Dongfang Zaobao staff, 四面楚歌最后辩护 兰迪斯:国际自联逼我上绝路 (Making a final defense while besieged on all sides --- Landis: UCI is leaving me with no options)
- Dāngdì shíjiān 8 yuè 7 rì, sìmiànchǔgē de Lándísī wèi zìjǐ zuò chū le zuìhòu de biànhù. Zhè shì tā zài B píng niàoyàng chéng yángxìng jiéguǒ bèi pīlù hòu jiēshòu de dìyīcì cǎifǎng. [Pinyin]
- Floyd Landis, besieged on all sides, put up a final defense on August 7, local time. This was his first interview since his B urine sample revealed the presence of testosterone.
当地时间8月7日,四面楚歌的兰迪斯为自己做出了最后的辩护。这是他在B瓶尿样呈阳性结果被披露后接受的第一次采访。 [MSC, simp.]
Japanese
editKanji in this term | |||
---|---|---|---|
四 | 面 | 楚 | 歌 |
し Grade: 1 |
めん Grade: 3 |
そ Jinmeiyō |
か Grade: 2 |
on'yomi |
Etymology
editYojijukugo (四字熟語), borrowed from Chinese 四面楚歌 (sìmiànchǔgē).
Noun
edit四面楚歌 • (shimensoka)
- hostility, difficulty, or frustration on all sides
- この失敗で私はまったくの四面楚歌に追い込まれてしまった。
- Kono shippai de watashi wa mattaku no shimensoka ni oikomareteshimatta.
- As a result of this failure, I am now completely cut off and surrounded.
- この失敗で私はまったくの四面楚歌に追い込まれてしまった。
References
edit- 2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.
Categories:
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