篳路藍縷

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Chinese

firewood cart shabbily dressed
trad. (篳路藍縷) 藍縷
simp. (筚路蓝缕) 蓝缕
alternative forms 蓽路藍縷荜路蓝缕
蓽露藍蔞荜露蓝蒌
篳路襤褸筚路褴褛
Literally: “drive a cart in rags to blaze a new trail”.

Etymology

From Zuozhuan:

若敖蚡冒篳路藍縷山林
若敖蚡冒筚路蓝缕山林
From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE, translation from Zuozhuan: Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals" (2017), by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li and David Schaberg
Xùn zhī yǐ Ruò'áo, Fénmào bìlù lánlǚ yǐ qǐ shānlín.
He admonishes them on how the Chu ancestors Ruo'ao and Fenmao, riding in rugged wooden carts and clad in tattered hemp, opened up hills and forests for cultivation.

Pronunciation


Idiom

篳路藍縷

  1. (figurative, of a pioneer) braving hardships and difficulties in beginning an undertaking