朽木糞牆

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