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夜郎自大. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
夜郎自大, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
夜郎自大 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
夜郎自大 you have here. The definition of the word
夜郎自大 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
夜郎自大, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
Etymology
Based on a passage in Records of the Grand Historian:
滇王與漢使者言曰：「漢與我孰大？」及夜郎侯亦然。以道不通，故各自以為一州主，不知漢廣大。
滇王与汉使者言曰：「汉与我孰大？」及夜郎侯亦然。以道不通，故各自以为一州主，不知汉广大。 - From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
- Diānwáng yǔ Hàn shǐzhě yán yuē: “Hàn yǔ wǒ shú dà?” Jí Yèlánghóu yì rán. Yǐ dào bù tōng, gù gè zì yǐwéi yī zhōu zhǔ, bùzhī Hàn guǎngdà.
- The King of Dian, while talking to the Han envoys, asked: "The Han (state) and mine, which is larger?" The Yelang lord did so too. As the roads (between their principalities and China) were not open, so each, deeming himself the ruler of a principality, did not know how large and vast the Han (empire) was.
Pronunciation
Idiom
夜郎自大
- to be ignorant and arrogant; to be self-deluded