愚公

Chinese

		stupid; foolish	old man
trad. (愚公)		愚	公
simp. #(愚公)		愚	公

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Yúgōng

  (Zhuyin): ㄩˊ ㄍㄨㄥ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jyu⁴ gung¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Yúgōng
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˊ ㄍㄨㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Yúgong
    • Wade–Giles: Yü²-kung¹
    • Yale: Yú-gūng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Yugong
    • Palladius: Юйгун (Jujgun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y³⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jyu⁴ gung¹
    • Yale: yùh gūng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁴ gung¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: yu⁴ gung¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː²¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

Proper noun

愚公

1. a character portrayed in the text Liezi: an old man who was determined to move a mountain, see 愚公移山 (yúgōngyíshān)

Noun

愚公

1. (figurative) resolute person who does not submit to difficulties
2. (figurative) recluse; hermit

Derived terms

• 愚公之居
• 愚公移山 (yúgōngyíshān)
• 愚公谷

 

Japanese

Kanji in this term
愚	公
ぐ Grade: S	こう Grade: 2
kan'on

Etymology

The name of a character in the fifth volume, 湯問 or "The Questions of Tang", of the Chinese Daoist text 列子 (Liezi). The name literally means "stupid old man". In the story, two large mountains stand before the character's house, impeding access, so the character and his family begin moving the mountains. A different character portrayed as a clever wag derides the family for their foolishness in moving the mountains instead of their house, but the emperor hears about them and is so impressed with their ambition and dedication that he arranges to have the mountains moved.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡɯ̟ko̞ː]

Proper noun

愚(ぐ)公(こう) • (Gukō) 

1. the character in the Chinese text Liezi.

Derived terms

• 愚公山(ぐこうやま)を移(うつ)す (gukō yama o utsusu)