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一窮二白. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
一窮二白, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
一窮二白 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
一窮二白 you have here. The definition of the word
一窮二白 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
一窮二白, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
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one; single; a one; single; a; (before verbs) as soon as, once; (before a noun) entire (family, etc.) |
exhausted; poor
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two
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white; empty; blank white; empty; blank; bright; clear; plain; pure; gratuitous |
| trad. (一窮二白)
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一
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窮
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二
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白
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| simp. (一穷二白)
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一
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穷
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二
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白
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Etymology
Possibly from On the Ten Major Relationships, a speech delivered by Mao Zedong in 1956 on the socialist construction of the People's Republic of China.
我曾經說過，我們一為「窮」，二為「白」。「窮」，就是沒有多少工業，農業也不發達。「白」，就是一張白紙，文化水平、科學水平都不高。 [MSC, trad.]
我曾经说过，我们一为「穷」，二为「白」。「穷」，就是没有多少工业，农业也不发达。「白」，就是一张白纸，文化水平、科学水平都不高。 [MSC, simp.]- From: 1956, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論十大關係》 (On the Ten Major Relationships), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition
- Wǒ céngjīng shuō guò, wǒmen yī wéi “qióng”, èr wéi “bái”. “Qióng”, jiùshì méiyǒu duōshao gōngyè, nóngyè yě bù fādá. “Bái”, jiùshì yī zhāng báizhǐ, wénhuà shuǐpíng, kēxué shuǐpíng dōu bù gāo.
- As I have said elsewhere, we are first “poor” and second “blank”. By “poor” I mean we do not have much industry and our agriculture is underdeveloped. By “blank” I mean we are like a blank sheet of paper and our cultural and scientific level is not high.
Pronunciation
Idiom
一窮二白
- poor and blank; economically impoverished and culturally backward
新中國成立之初，中國一窮二白，百廢待興。 [MSC, trad.]
新中国成立之初，中国一穷二白，百废待兴。 [MSC, simp.]- Xīnzhōngguó chénglì zhī chū, Zhōngguó yīqióng'èrbái, bǎifèidàixīng.
- In the early days after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, China was impoverished, with great number of things waiting to be rebuilt and tasks to be undertaken.