切磋琢磨

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word 切磋琢磨. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word 切磋琢磨, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say 切磋琢磨 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word 切磋琢磨 you have here. The definition of the word 切磋琢磨 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of切磋琢磨, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Chinese

to cut and polish; to compare notes; to learn from each other to carve and polish; to polish and refine a literary work
trad. (切磋琢磨) 切磋 琢磨
simp. #(切磋琢磨) 切磋 琢磨
alternative forms 切瑳琢磨

Etymology

From the Classic of Poetry, poem 55 (《詩經·衞風·淇奧》):

瞻彼淇奧，綠竹猗猗。
有匪君子，如切如磋，如琢如磨。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
瞻彼淇奥，绿竹猗猗。
有匪君子，如切如磋，如琢如磨。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zhān bǐ Qí yù, lǜ zhú yīyī.
Yǒu fěi jūnzǐ, rú qiē rú cuō, rú zhuó rú mó.
Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi , with their green bamboos, so fresh and luxuriant!
There is our elegant and accomplished prince, as from the knife and the file, as from the chisel and the polisher!

Pronunciation

Idiom

切磋琢磨

  1. (original meaning) to carve and polish (bones, horns, ivory and jade)
  2. (figurative) to learn by exchanging ideas and experiences; friendly competition; improvement by learning from others

Japanese

Kanji in this term
切 磋 琢 磨
せつ > せっ
Grade: 2 		さ
Hyōgai 		たく
Jinmeiyō 		ま
Grade: S
on'yomi
Alternative spelling
切磋琢磨 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 切磋琢磨.

Noun

切(せっ)磋(さ)琢(たく)磨(ま) • (sessatakuma) 

  1. applying oneself and studying hard to cultivate oneself
  2. friendly competition, improving oneself by learning from others

Verb

切(せっ)磋(さ)琢(たく)磨(ま)する • (sessatakuma suru) suru (stem 切(せっ)磋(さ)琢(たく)磨(ま)し (sessatakuma shi), past 切(せっ)磋(さ)琢(たく)磨(ま)した (sessatakuma shita))

  1. apply oneself and study hard to improve oneself
  2. try to improve by learning from others

Conjugation

Conjugation of "切磋琢磨する" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
Katsuyōkei ("stem forms")
Mizenkei ("imperfective") 切磋琢磨し せっさたくまし sessatakuma shi
Ren’yōkei ("continuative") 切磋琢磨し せっさたくまし sessatakuma shi
Shūshikei ("terminal") 切磋琢磨する せっさたくまする sessatakuma suru
Rentaikei ("attributive") 切磋琢磨する せっさたくまする sessatakuma suru
Kateikei ("hypothetical") 切磋琢磨すれ せっさたくますれ sessatakuma sure
Meireikei ("imperative") 切磋琢磨せよ¹
切磋琢磨しろ² 		せっさたくませよ¹
せっさたくましろ² 		sessatakuma seyo¹
sessatakuma shiro²
Key constructions
Passive 切磋琢磨される せっさたくまされる sessatakuma sareru
Causative 切磋琢磨させる
切磋琢磨さす 		せっさたくまさせる
せっさたくまさす 		sessatakuma saseru
sessatakuma sasu
Potential 切磋琢磨できる せっさたくまできる sessatakuma dekiru
Volitional 切磋琢磨しよう せっさたくましよう sessatakuma shiyō
Negative 切磋琢磨しない せっさたくましない sessatakuma shinai
Negative continuative 切磋琢磨せず せっさたくませず sessatakuma sezu
Formal 切磋琢磨します せっさたくまします sessatakuma shimasu
Perfective 切磋琢磨した せっさたくました sessatakuma shita
Conjunctive 切磋琢磨して せっさたくまして sessatakuma shite
Hypothetical conditional 切磋琢磨すれば せっさたくますれば sessatakuma sureba
¹ Written imperative

² Spoken imperative

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia