莫須有

Chinese

		do not; there is none who	necessary; must; need	to have; there is; there are to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
trad. (莫須有)		莫	須	有
simp. (莫须有)		莫	须	有

Etymology

From the statement by Qin Kuai about the charges against Yue Fei trumped up by him:

獄之將上也，韓世忠不平，詣檜詰其實，檜曰：「飛子雲與張憲書雖不明，其事體莫須有。」世忠曰：「『莫須有』三字，何以服天下？」 [Literary Chinese, trad.]

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狱之将上也，韩世忠不平，诣桧诘其实，桧曰：「飞子云与张宪书虽不明，其事体莫须有。」世忠曰：「『莫须有』三字，何以服天下？」 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

From: 1345 CE, Toqto'a (lead editor), History of Song

Yù zhī jiāng shàng yě, Hán Shìzhōng bùpíng, yì Kuài jié qí shí, Kuài yuē: “Fēi zǐ Yún yǔ Zhāng Xiàn shū suī bùmíng, qí shìtǐ mòxūyǒu.” Shìzhōng yuē: “‘mòxūyǒu’ sān zì, héyǐ fú tiānxià?” [Pinyin]

Before the case was being reported to the Central Government, Han Shizhong felt resentful (of Yue Fei's charges), and met Qin Kuai to query about the truth. Qin Kuai replied, "Although we don't know what was written on the letter to Zhang Xian by Yue Fei's son, Yue Yun, that thing is not needed." Shizhong then replied, "How can you convince the world with the words 'not needed'?"

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): mòxūyǒu

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄛˋ ㄒㄩ ㄧㄡˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): mok⁶ seoi¹ jau⁵
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): bo̍k-su-iú / bo̍k-si-iú

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: mòxūyǒu
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄛˋ ㄒㄩ ㄧㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: mòsyuyǒu
    • Wade–Giles: mo⁴-hsü¹-yu³
    • Yale: mwò-syū-yǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mohshiuyeou
    • Palladius: мосюйю (mosjujju)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mu̯ɔ⁵¹ ɕy⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: mok⁶ seoi¹ jau⁵
    • Yale: mohk sēui yáuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: mok⁹ soey¹ jau⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: mog⁶ sêu¹ yeo⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɔːk̚² sɵy̯⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bo̍k-su-iú
    • Tâi-lô: bo̍k-su-iú
    • Phofsit Daibuun: bogsu'iuo
    • IPA (Xiamen): /bɔk̚⁴⁻³² su⁴⁴⁻²² iu⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /bɔk̚²⁴⁻² su³³ iu⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bo̍k-si-iú
    • Tâi-lô: bo̍k-si-iú
    • Phofsit Daibuun: bogsi'iuo
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /bɔk̚¹²¹⁻²¹ si⁴⁴⁻²² iu⁵³/

Adjective

莫須有

1. unwarranted; groundless; fabricated; trumped-up