只許州官放火，不許百姓點燈

Chinese
 
only; merely; just; but
 
to allow; to permit; to praise; surname
 to set on fire, specifically to commit arson to not allow
 
the common people; the masses; ordinary citizens; officials
 to light a lamp
trad. (只許州官放火，不許百姓點燈) 只 許 州官 放火 ， 不許 百姓 點燈
simp. (只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯) 只 许 州官 放火 ， 不许 百姓 点灯

Etymology

Literally: to only allow the prefectural official to set fires, but not allow the common citizens to light their lamps

Pronunciation
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Pinyin: zhǐ xǔ zhōuguān fànghuǒ, bùxǔ bǎixìng diǎndēng [Phonetic: zhíxǔzhōuguānfànghuǒ,bùxúbǎixìngdiǎndēng]
      • Zhuyin: ㄓˇ ㄒㄩˇ ㄓㄡ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄈㄤˋ ㄏㄨㄛˇ, ㄅㄨˋ ㄒㄩˇ ㄅㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄉㄧㄢˇ ㄉㄥ
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jyy sheu jouguan fanqhuuo, busheu baeshinq deandeng
      • IPA (key): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ɕy²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵ ku̯a̠n⁵⁵ fɑŋ⁵¹ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ pu⁵¹ ɕy²¹⁴⁻³⁵ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ɕiŋ⁵¹ ti̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ tɤŋ⁵⁵/
  • Cantonese
    • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)+
      • Jyutping: zi2 heoi2 zau1 gun1 fong3 fo2, bat1 heoi2 baak3 sing3 dim2 dang1
      • Yale: jí héui jāu gūn fong fó, bāt héui baak sing dím dāng
      • Cantonese Pinyin: dzi2 hoey2 dzau1 gun1 fong3 fo2, bat7 hoey2 baak8 sing3 dim2 dang1
      • Guangdong Romanization: ji2 hêu2 zeo1 gun1 fong3 fo2, bed1 hêu2 bag3 xing3 dim2 deng1
      • IPA (key): /t͡siː³⁵ hɵy̯³⁵ t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵ kuːn⁵⁵ fɔːŋ³³ fɔː³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ hɵy̯³⁵ paːk̚³ sɪŋ³³ tiːm³⁵ tɐŋ⁵⁵/

Idiom

只許州官放火，不許百姓點燈

  1. a tyrant boss or leader can do whatever he likes, but the common people are not allowed the slightest bit of freedom
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