斷臂

Chinese

		to break; to judge; absolutely to break; to judge; absolutely; decidedly	arm
trad. (斷臂)		斷	臂
simp. (断臂)		断	臂

Etymology

“sincerity of a Buddhist monk”

From the legend of Dazu Huike.

“integrity of a chaste woman”

From a story in the Historical Records of the Five Dynasties.

“(male) homosexuality”

From 斷背／断背 (duànbèi). See there for more.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): duànbì

  (Zhuyin): ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄅㄧˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): dyun⁶ bei³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: duànbì
    • Zhuyin: ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄅㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: duànbì
    • Wade–Giles: tuan⁴-pi⁴
    • Yale: dwàn-bì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: duannbih
    • Palladius: дуаньби (duanʹbi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: dyun⁶ bei³
    • Yale: dyuhn bei
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dyn⁶ bei³
    • Guangdong Romanization: dün⁶ béi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tyːn²² pei̯³³/

Verb

斷臂

1. (literally) to cut off the arm
2. (figurative, literary) A metaphor for the sincerity of a Buddhist monk in search of Buddha's truth.
3. (figurative, literary) A metaphor for the integrity of a woman striving to maintain her chastity.
4. (figurative) A metaphor for homosexuality, especially between males.

Derived terms

• 壯士斷臂／壮士断臂
• 斷臂山／断臂山
• 斷臂情／断臂情
• 斷臂燃身／断臂燃身
• 斷臂立雪／断臂立雪
• 立雪斷臂／立雪断臂

 

See also

• 斷袖／断袖 (duànxiù)
• 斷背／断背 (duànbèi)

Noun

斷臂

1. (figurative) male homosexuality or homosexual

Adjective

斷臂

1. (figurative) homosexual; gay