宰相肚裡能撐船

Chinese

		Chancellor of State	in one's gut; in one's heart; in one's mind in one's gut; in one's heart; in one's mind; in one's conscience	ability; can; may ability; can; may; capable; energy; able	to pole a boat
trad. (宰相肚裡能撐船/宰相肚裏能撐船)		宰相	肚裡/肚裏	能	撐船
simp. (宰相肚里能撑船)		宰相	肚里	能	撑船
Literally: “the chancellor's belly allows people to pole a boat inside”.

Etymology

From Wang Anshi's concubine's reply where she was begging for Wang's pardon when he discovered her affair.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zǎixiàng dùlǐ néng chēngchuán

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄉㄨˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄋㄥˊ ㄔㄥ ㄔㄨㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zoi² soeng³ tou⁵ lui⁵ nang⁴ caang¹ syun⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zǎixiàng dùlǐ néng chēngchuán
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄉㄨˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄋㄥˊ ㄔㄥ ㄔㄨㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zǎisiàng dùlǐ néng chengchuán
    • Wade–Giles: tsai³-hsiang⁴ tu⁴-li³ nêng² chʻêng¹-chʻuan²
    • Yale: dzǎi-syàng dù-lǐ néng chēng-chwán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzaeshianq duhlii neng chengchwan
    • Palladius: цзайсян дули нэн чэнчуань (czajsjan duli nɛn čɛnčuanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡saɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tu⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ nɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zoi² soeng³ tou⁵ lui⁵ nang⁴ caang¹ syun⁴
    • Yale: jói seung tóuh lúih nàhng chāang syùhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzoi² soeng³ tou⁵ lui⁵ nang⁴ tsaang¹ syn⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: zoi² sêng³ tou⁵ lui⁵ neng⁴ cang¹ xun⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔːi̯³⁵ sœːŋ³³ tʰou̯¹³ luːi̯¹³ nɐŋ²¹ t͡sʰaːŋ⁵⁵ syːn²¹/

Idiom

宰相肚裡能撐船

1. broad-minded; big-hearted; will not be bothered by small matters

Synonyms

• 大人有大量 (dàrén yǒu dàliàng)
• 宰相肚裡好撐船／宰相肚里好撑船 (zǎixiàng dùlǐ hǎo chēngchuán)