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烏頭白，馬生角. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
烏頭白，馬生角, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
烏頭白，馬生角 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
烏頭白，馬生角 you have here. The definition of the word
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Chinese
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a crow; black; not a crow; black; not; empty; void |
head; (noun suffix)
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white; empty; blank white; empty; blank; bright; clear; plain; pure; gratuitous |
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horse; surname
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to be born; to give birth; life to be born; to give birth; life; to grow; student; raw |
horn; angle; role horn; angle; role; actor; contend; horn-shaped; Chinese musical note |
| trad. (烏頭白，馬生角)
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烏
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頭
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白
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，
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馬
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生
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角
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| simp. (乌头白，马生角)
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乌
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头
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白
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，
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马
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生
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角
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| alternative forms
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烏白頭，馬生角／乌白头，马生角
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| Literally: “when crows have white heads and horses grow horns”.
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Etymology
From a legend about Crown Prince Dan, who sent Jing Ke to assassinate Qin Shi Huang but failed:
燕太子丹質於秦，秦王遇之無禮，不得意，欲求歸。秦王不聽，謬言曰令烏白頭、馬生角，乃可許耳。丹仰天歎，烏即白頭，馬生角。秦王不得已而遣之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
燕太子丹质于秦，秦王遇之无礼，不得意，欲求归。秦王不听，谬言曰令乌白头、马生角，乃可许耳。丹仰天叹，乌即白头，马生角。秦王不得已而遣之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: Yandanzi
- Yàn Tàizǐ Dān zhì yú Qín, Qín wáng yù zhī wúlǐ, bù déyì, yù qiú guī. Qín wáng bù tīng, miùyán yuē lìng wū báitóu, mǎ shēng jiǎo, nǎi kěxǔ ěr. Dān yǎngtiān tàn, wū jí báitóu, mǎ shēng jiǎo. Qín wáng bùdéyǐ ér qiǎn zhī.
- Crown Prince Dan of Yan was held hostage in Qin. The Qin king (who later became Qin Shi Huang) did not treat him well and he was not happy. He then asked the Qin king to let him back to Yan. The Qin king did not listen, and made a bold statement that he would only let him go if the crows have white heads and horses grow horns. Dan looked at the sky and sighed, and suddenly the crows' heads became white and the horses grew horns. The Qin king could do nothing but let him go.
Pronunciation
Idiom
烏頭白，馬生角
- (literary) when pigs fly
Descendants