退避三舍
Chinese
editto keep away; to step aside; to retreat to avoid | three | thirty li | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (退避三舍) | 退避 | 三 | 舍 | |
simp. #(退避三舍) | 退避 | 三 | 舍 | |
Literally: “to retreat ninety li”. |
Etymology
editFrom the account of Duke Wen of Jin, who, prior to becoming the ruler of Jin, had fled from a succession crisis and had been seeking shelter in various states. After receiving him, King Cheng of Chu asked how he would pay back if he were to become the ruler of Jin. His reply was (《左傳·僖公二十三年》):
- 若以君之靈,得反晉國,晉楚治兵,遇於中原,其辟君三舍。若不獲命,其左執鞭弭,右屬櫜鞬,以與君周旋。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Ruò yǐ jūn zhī líng, dé fǎn Jìn guó, Jìn Chǔ zhì bīng, yù yú zhōngyuán, qí bì jūn sān shè. Ruò bù huò mìng, qí zuǒ zhí biān mǐ, yòu shǔ gāo jiān, yǐ yǔ jūn zhōuxuán. [Pinyin]
- If by your lordship's powerful influence I shall recover the State of Jin, should Chu and Jin go to war and meet in the plain of the Middle Land, I will withdraw from your lordship three stages [each of 30 li]. If then I do not receive your commands to cease from hostilities, with my whip and my bow in my left hand, and my quiver and my bowcase on my right, I will manaeuvre with your lordship.
若以君之灵,得反晋国,晋楚治兵,遇于中原,其辟君三舍。若不获命,其左执鞭弭,右属櫜鞬,以与君周旋。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
edit- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄅㄧˋ ㄙㄢ ㄕㄜˋ
- Tongyong Pinyin: tuèibìsanshè
- Wade–Giles: tʻui4-pi4-san1-shê4
- Yale: twèi-bì-sān-shè
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tueybihsansheh
- Palladius: туйбисаньшэ (tujbisanʹšɛ)
- Sinological IPA (key): /tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ sän⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: teoi3 bei6 saam1 se3
- Yale: teui beih sāam se
- Cantonese Pinyin: toey3 bei6 saam1 se3
- Guangdong Romanization: têu3 béi6 sam1 sé3
- Sinological IPA (key): /tʰɵy̯³³ pei̯²² saːm⁵⁵ sɛː³³/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Idiom
edit退避三舍
Categories:
- Literary Chinese terms with quotations
- Chinese lemmas
- Mandarin lemmas
- Cantonese lemmas
- Chinese idioms
- Mandarin idioms
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- Chinese terms spelled with 舍
- Chinese chengyu derived from the Zuo Zhuan