韋編三絕
Chinese edit
surname; soft leather | weave; plait; organize weave; plait; organize; group; arrange; edit; compile; write; compose; fabricate |
three | cut short; extinct; to disappear cut short; extinct; to disappear; to vanish; absolutely; by no means | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (韋編三絕) | 韋 | 編 | 三 | 絕 | |
simp. (韦编三绝) | 韦 | 编 | 三 | 绝 | |
alternative forms | 三絕韋編/三绝韦编 | ||||
Literally: “the leather binding (of the bamboo scroll) has broken three times”. |
Etymology edit
From the story of Confucius studying the Classic of Changes so diligently that the tanned leather threads which connected the bamboo slips broke several times.
Pronunciation edit
Idiom edit
韋編三絕
- (figurative) to study diligently