就木

Chinese

		at once; then; right away at once; then; right away; only; (emphasis); to approach; to move towards; to undertake	tree; wood
simp. and trad. (就木)		就	木
Literally: “to enter the coffin”.

Etymology

《左傳·僖公二十三年》:

將適齊，謂季隗曰：「待我二十五年，不來而後嫁。」對曰：「我二十五年矣，又如是而嫁，則就木焉。請待子。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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将适齐，谓季隗曰：「待我二十五年，不来而后嫁。」对曰：「我二十五年矣，又如是而嫁，则就木焉。请待子。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

Jiāng shì Qí, wèi Jì Wěi yuē: “Dài wǒ èrshíwǔ nián, bùlái érhòu jià.” Duìyuē: “Wǒ èrshíwǔ nián yǐ, yòu rúshì ér jià, zé jiùmù yān. Qǐng dài zǐ.” [Pinyin]

[Prince Chong'er and his entourage] were about to leave for Qi. The prince told Ji Wei: "Wait twenty-five years for me, and if by then I fail to come back, get married." She replied: "I am twenty-five years old. After another twenty-five years' wait to 'get married', I will be at one with trees (i.e., trees planted by the grave, or wooden coffin) already. Let me wait for you."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jiùmù

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄇㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zau⁶ muk⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiùmù
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄇㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiòumù
    • Wade–Giles: chiu⁴-mu⁴
    • Yale: jyòu-mù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiowmuh
    • Palladius: цзюму (czjumu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zau⁶ muk⁶
    • Yale: jauh muhk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzau⁶ muk⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: zeo⁶ mug⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɐu̯²² mʊk̚²/

Verb

就木

1. (chiefly literary) to die

Derived terms

• 行將就木／行将就木 (xíngjiāngjiùmù)