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斷鶴續鳧. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
斷鶴續鳧, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
斷鶴續鳧 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
斷鶴續鳧 you have here. The definition of the word
斷鶴續鳧 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
斷鶴續鳧, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
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to break; to judge; absolutely to break; to judge; absolutely; decidedly |
crane
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continue; replenish
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wild duck; to swim
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| trad. (斷鶴續鳧)
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斷
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鶴
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續
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鳧
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| simp. (断鹤续凫)
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断
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鹤
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续
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凫
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| alternative forms
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續鳧斷鶴／续凫断鹤
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| Literally: “to shorten the legs of a crane and lengthen those of a wild duck”.
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Etymology
From the book Zhuangzi:
長者不為有餘，短者不為不足，是故鳧脛雖短，續之則憂，鶴脛雖長，斷之則悲。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
长者不为有余，短者不为不足，是故凫胫虽短，续之则忧，鹤胫虽长，断之则悲。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
- Cháng zhě bù wéi yǒuyú, duǎn zhě bù wéi bùzú, shìgù fú jìng suī duǎn, xù zhī zé yōu, hè jìng suī cháng, duàn zhī zé bēi.
- What is long should not be considered too long, nor what is short too short. A duck's legs, for instance, are short, but if we try to lengthen them, it occasions pain; and a crane's legs are long, but if we try to cut off a portion of them, it produces grief.
Pronunciation
Idiom
斷鶴續鳧
- (figurative) to go against nature
Descendants