綢繆

綢繆

1. (literary, ideophonic) bound tightly; bound round and round; winding round

   未雨綢繆／未雨绸缪  ―  wèiyǔchóumóu  ―  to plan ahead (lit. to bind tightly the window before it rains)

   • 綢繆束薪，三星在天。今夕何夕？見此良人！子兮子兮！如此良人何！ [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     绸缪束薪，三星在天。今夕何夕？见此良人！子兮子兮！如此良人何！ [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Chóumóu shù xīn, sānxīng zài tiān. Jīn xī hé xī? Jiàn cǐ liángrén! Zǐ xī zǐ xī! Rú cǐ liángrén hé!

     Round and round the firewood is bound;
     And the Three Stars appear in the sky.
     This evening is what evening,
     That I see this good man?
     O me! O me!
     That I should get a good man like this!

   • 宜未雨而綢繆，毋臨渴而掘井。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     宜未雨而绸缪，毋临渴而掘井。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhu Yongchun, Zhu Zi's Family Maxims, 17^th century CE

     Yí wèi yǔ ér chóumóu, wú lín kě ér jué jǐng.

     One should, when it is not yet raining, bind tightly the window. One should not wait until one is thirsty to dig a well.
     i.e. One should prepare before it is too late.

2. (literary, ideophonic) numerous and dense; closely crowded
3. (literary) extending into the distance; continuous; uninterrupted
4. (literary, figurative) showing deep and everlasting affection; sentimentally attached; ardent

• 纏綿／缠绵 (chánmián)

綢繆

1. (literary, figurative) to plan ahead; to prepare in advance

綢(ちゅう)繆(びゅう) • (chūbyū) 

1. coiled about, tied and tied thread
2. familiar, close

• 合(ごう)歓(かん)綢(ちゅう)繆(びゅう) (gōkanchūbyū)
• 未(み)雨(う)綢(ちゅう)繆(びゅう) (miuchūbyū)