後來居上

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

Chinese

later; later on; afterwards; people with less experience; younger generation
 
reside
up; on; on top
up; on; on top; upon; first; previous or last; upper; higher; above; previous; to climb; to go into; to go up
 
trad. (後來居上) 後來
simp. (后来居上) 后来
Literally: “late-comer is positioned above”.

Etymology

From a sarcastic comment by Ji An (汲黯) to the Emperor Wu of Han:

陛下群臣後來居上 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
陛下群臣后来居上 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
Bìxià yòng qúnchén rú jīxīn ěr, hòu lái zhě jū shàng.
The way Your Majesty manages your ministers is like nothing but keeping firewood in a pile: it is the late-comers that get the top position.

Pronunciation



Rime
Character
Reading # 1/2 2/2 1/1 2/2 2/2
Initial () (33) (33) (37) (28) (25)
Final () (137) (137) (41) (22) (105)
Tone (調) Rising (X) Departing (H) Level (Ø) Level (Ø) Departing (H)
Openness (開合) Open Open Open Open Open
Division () I I I III III
Fanqie
Baxter huwX huwH loj kjo dzyangH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/ɦəuX/ /ɦəuH/ /lʌi/ /kɨʌ/ /d͡ʑɨɐŋH/
Pan
Wuyun
/ɦəuX/ /ɦəuH/ /ləi/ /kiɔ/ /d͡ʑiɐŋH/
Shao
Rongfen
/ɣəuX/ /ɣəuH/ /lɒi/ /kiɔ/ /d͡ʑiɑŋH/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/ɦəwX/ /ɦəwH/ /ləj/ /kɨə̆/ /d͡ʑɨaŋH/
Li
Rong
/ɣuX/ /ɣuH/ /lᴀi/ /kiɔ/ /ʑiaŋH/
Wang
Li
/ɣəuX/ /ɣəuH/ /lɒi/ /kĭo/ /ʑĭaŋH/
Bernhard
Karlgren
/ɣə̯uX/ /ɣə̯uH/ /lɑ̆i/ /ki̯wo/ /ʑi̯aŋH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
hòu hòu lái shàng
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
hau6 hau6 loi4 geoi1 soeng6

Idiom

後來居上

  1. the up-and-coming youngster outstrips the older generation; the pupil surpasses the master