是可忍，孰不可忍

Chinese

FWOTD – 8 July 2022

		be; yes; this	can; may; able to can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)	to bear; to endure; to tolerate		who; which; what	cannot; should not; must not	to bear; to endure; to tolerate
trad. (是可忍，孰不可忍)		是	可	忍	，	孰	不可	忍
simp. #(是可忍，孰不可忍)		是	可	忍	，	孰	不可	忍
Literally: “If this can be tolerated, what cannot?”.

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 3 (《論語·八佾》):

孔子謂季氏：「八佾舞於庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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孔子谓季氏：「八佾舞于庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Kǒngzǐ wèi Jì shì: “Bāyì wǔ yú tíng, shì kě rěn yě, shú bùkě rěn yě?” [Pinyin]

Confucius said of the head of the Ji family (w:zh:季平子), who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, "If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?"

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shì kě rěn, shú bù kě rěn

  (Zhuyin): ㄕˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄖㄣˇ , ㄕㄨˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄖㄣˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): si⁶ ho² jan², suk⁶ bat¹ ho² jan²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shì kě rěn, shú bù kě rěn [Phonetic: shìkérěn,shúbùkérěn]
    • Zhuyin: ㄕˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄖㄣˇ , ㄕㄨˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄖㄣˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shìh kě rěn, shú bù kě rěn
    • Wade–Giles: shih⁴ kʻo³ jên³, shu² pu⁴ kʻo³ jên³
    • Yale: shr̀ kě rěn-, shú bù kě rěn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyh kee reen, shwu bu kee reen
    • Palladius: ши кэ жэнь, шу бу кэ жэнь (ši kɛ žɛnʹ, šu bu kɛ žɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂʐ̩⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʐən²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂu³⁵ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʐən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: si⁶ ho² jan², suk⁶ bat¹ ho² jan²
    • Yale: sih hó yán, suhk bāt hó yán
    • Cantonese Pinyin: si⁶ ho² jan², suk⁹ bat⁷ ho² jan²
    • Guangdong Romanization: xi⁶ ho² yen², sug⁶ bed¹ ho² yen²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siː²² hɔː³⁵ jɐn³⁵ sʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ jɐn³⁵/

Idiom

是可忍，孰不可忍

1. definitely cannot be tolerated

   • 在二十世紀的前五十年當中，法國兩度為德國所征服，這對具有光榮歷史的法國人民來說，是一件是可忍，孰不可忍的奇恥大辱。 [MSC, trad.]
     在二十世纪的前五十年当中，法国两度为德国所征服，这对具有光荣历史的法国人民来说，是一件是可忍，孰不可忍的奇耻大辱。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1987, 張永誠, 《賣手》, page 68

     Zài èrshí shìjì de qián wǔshí nián dāngzhōng, Fǎguó liǎng dù wéi Déguó suǒ zhēngfú, zhè duì jùyǒu guāngróng lìshǐ de Fǎguó rénmín lái shuō, shì yījiàn shì kě rěn, shú bù kě rěn de qíchǐdàrǔ. [Pinyin]

     During the first half of the 20th century, France was subjugated twice by Germany, which has been an extremely huge disgrace that definitely cannot be tolerated to the French people, who had a glorious history.

Synonyms

• 此而可忍，孰不可忍

See also

• 忍無可忍／忍无可忍 (rěnwúkěrěn)