朽木糞牆

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See also: 朽木粪墙

Chinese

rotten tree; wood manure; dung wall
trad. (朽木糞牆) 朽 木 糞 牆
simp. (朽木粪墙) 朽 木 粪 墙
Literally: “rotten wood, feces wall”.

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 5 (《論語·公冶長》):

宰予晝寢。子曰：「朽木不可雕也，糞土之牆，不可杇也，於予與何誅。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
宰予昼寝。子曰：「朽木不可雕也，粪土之墙，不可杇也，于予与何诛。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǎi Yǔ zhòuqǐn. Zǐyuē: “Xiǔmù bùkě diāo yě, fèntǔ zhī qiáng, bùkě wū yě, yú Yǔ yǔ hé zhū.”
Zai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. This Yu! — what is the use of my reproving him?"

Pronunciation

Idiom

朽木糞牆

  1. a person whose spirit is rotten cannot benefit from education
  2. an unsalvageable situation

Japanese

Kanji in this term
朽 木 糞 牆
きゅう
Grade: S 		ぼく
Grade: 1 		ふん
Hyōgai 		しょう
Hyōgai
kan'on

Etymology

From Literary Chinese 朽木糞牆／朽木粪墙 (xiǔmùfènqiáng).

Idiom

朽(きゅう)木(ぼく)糞(ふん)牆(しょう) • (kyūbokufunshō) 

  1. A piece of rotten wood cannot be turned into something beautiful. That is, a person whose spirit is rotten cannot benefit from education.

References

Wikious
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