上不著天，下不著地

See also: 上不着天，下不着地

Chinese

		up; on; on top up; on; on top; upon; first; previous or last; upper; higher; above; previous; to climb; to go into; to go up	not; no	particle indicating the successful result of a verb; to touch; to come in contact with particle indicating the successful result of a verb; to touch; to come in contact with; to feel; to be affected by; to catch fire; to fall asleep; to burn; particle attached after verb to indicate action in progress, like ‑ing ending; to make known; to show; to prove; to write; book; outstanding; to wear (clothes); to contact; to use; to apply; catch; receive; suffer	day; sky; heaven		under; next; lower under; next; lower; below; underneath; down(wards); to go down; latter	not; no	particle indicating the successful result of a verb; to touch; to come in contact with particle indicating the successful result of a verb; to touch; to come in contact with; to feel; to be affected by; to catch fire; to fall asleep; to burn; particle attached after verb to indicate action in progress, like ‑ing ending; to make known; to show; to prove; to write; book; outstanding; to wear (clothes); to contact; to use; to apply; catch; receive; suffer	earth; ground; field earth; ground; field; place; land; (subor. part. adverbial); ‑ly
trad. (上不著天，下不著地)		上	不	著	天	，	下	不	著	地
simp. (上不着天，下不着地)		上	不	着	天	，	下	不	着	地
Literally: “touch neither the sky nor the ground”.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shàngbùzháotiān, xiàbùzháodì

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄠˊ ㄊㄧㄢ , ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄠˊ ㄉㄧˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): soeng⁶ bat¹ zoek⁶ tin¹, haa⁶ bat¹ zoek⁶ dei⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shàngbùzháotiān, xiàbùzháodì
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄠˊ ㄊㄧㄢ , ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄠˊ ㄉㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shàngbùjháotian, siàbùjháodì
    • Wade–Giles: shang⁴-pu⁴-chao²-tʻien¹, hsia⁴-pu⁴-chao²-ti⁴
    • Yale: shàng-bù-jáu-tyān-, syà-bù-jáu-dì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shanqbujaurtian, shiahbujaurdih
    • Palladius: шанбучжаотянь, сябучжаоди (šanbučžaotjanʹ, sjabučžaodi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ ti⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: soeng⁶ bat¹ zoek⁶ tin¹, haa⁶ bat¹ zoek⁶ dei⁶
    • Yale: seuhng bāt jeuhk tīn, hah bāt jeuhk deih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soeng⁶ bat⁷ dzoek⁹ tin¹, haa⁶ bat⁷ dzoek⁹ dei⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêng⁶ bed¹ zêg⁶ tin¹, ha⁶ bed¹ zêg⁶ déi⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sœːŋ²² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sœːk̚² tʰiːn⁵⁵ haː²² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sœːk̚² tei̯²²/

Idiom

上不著天，下不著地

1. to be suspended in midair