朽木糞牆

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See also: 朽木粪墙

Chinese

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rotten tree; wood manure; dung wall
trad. (朽木糞牆)
simp. (朽木粪墙)
Literally: “rotten wood, feces wall”.

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 5 (《論語·公冶長》):

宰予晝寢子曰:「朽木不可不可。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
宰予昼寝子曰:「朽木不可不可。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǎi Yǔ zhòuqǐn. Zǐyuē: “Xiǔmù bùkě diāo yě, fèntǔ zhī qiáng, bùkě wū yě, yú Yǔ yǔ hé zhū.” [Pinyin]
Zai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. This Yu! — what is the use of my reproving him?"

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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朽木糞牆

  1. a person whose spirit is rotten cannot benefit from education
  2. an unsalvageable situation

Japanese

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Kanji in this term
きゅう
Grade: S
ぼく
Grade: 1
ふん
Hyōgai
しょう
Hyōgai
kan'on

Etymology

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From Literary Chinese 朽木糞牆朽木粪墙 (xiǔmùfènqiáng).

Idiom

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(きゅう)(ぼく)(ふん)(しょう) (kyūbokufunshō

  1. A piece of rotten wood cannot be turned into something beautiful. That is, a person whose spirit is rotten cannot benefit from education.

References

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