切磋琢磨

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Chinese

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to cut and polish; to compare notes; to learn from each other to carve and polish; to polish and refine a literary work
trad. (切磋琢磨) 切磋 琢磨
simp. #(切磋琢磨) 切磋 琢磨
alternative forms 切瑳琢磨

Etymology

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From the Classic of Poetry, poem 55 (《詩經·衞風·淇奧》):


君子
[Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
绿
君子
[Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zhān bǐ Qí yù, lǜ zhú yīyī.
Yǒu fěi jūnzǐ, rú qiēcuō, rú zhuó.
[Pinyin]
Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi [river], with their green bamboos, so fresh and luxuriant!
There is our elegant and accomplished prince, as from the knife and the file, as from the chisel and the polisher!

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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切磋琢磨

  1. (original meaning) to carve and polish (bones, horns, ivory and jade)
  2. (figurative) to learn by exchanging ideas and experiences; friendly competition; improvement by learning from others

Japanese

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Kanji in this term
せつ > せっ
Grade: 2

Hyōgai
たく
Jinmeiyō

Grade: S
on'yomi
Alternative spelling
切磋琢磨 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

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From Middle Chinese 切磋琢磨.

Noun

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(せっ)()(たく)() (sessatakuma

  1. applying oneself and studying hard to cultivate oneself
  2. friendly competition, improving oneself by learning from others

Verb

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(せっ)()(たく)()する (sessatakuma surusuru (stem (せっ)()(たく)() (sessatakuma shi), past (せっ)()(たく)()した (sessatakuma shita))

  1. apply oneself and study hard to improve oneself
  2. try to improve by learning from others

Conjugation

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References

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