朽木不可雕
Chinese
rotten wood; hopeless case; good-for-nothing cannot; should not; must not engrave; shrewd trad. (朽木不可雕) 朽木 不可 雕 simp. #(朽木不可雕) 朽木 不可 雕 Literally: “One cannot make a carving from rotten wood.”
Etymology
From the Analects of Confucius:
- 朽木不可雕也,糞土之牆不可杇也!于予與何誅? [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, circa 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Xiǔmù bùkě diāo yě, fèntǔ zhī qiáng bùkě wū yě! Yú Yǔ yǔ hé zhū? [Pinyin]
- 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?
朽木不可雕也,粪土之墙不可杇也!于予与何诛? [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Proverb
朽木不可雕
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