不可勝數
See also: 不可胜数
Chinese
cannot; should not; must not | victorious; able to do; competent enough to | number; figure; to count number; figure; to count; to calculate; several; frequently; repeatedly | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (不可勝數) | 不可 | 勝 | 數 | |
simp. (不可胜数) | 不可 | 胜 | 数 | |
Literally: “can not exhaustively count”. |
Etymology
First attested in Hanfeizi:
- 且夫内以黨與劫弑其君,外以諸侯之權矯易其國,隱正道,持私曲,上禁君,下撓治者,不可勝數也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
- From: Han Feizi, circa 2nd century BCE
- Qiěfú nèi yǐ dǎngyǔ jiéshì qí jūn, wài yǐ zhūhóu zhī quán jiǎoyì qí guó, yǐn zhèngdào, chí sīqū, shàng jìn jūn, xià náo zhì zhě, bùkě shèng shù yě. [Pinyin]
- Again, those who intimidate and murder the rulers with partisans and adherents at home and reform or alter their states through the influences of the feudal lords outside, thus concealing the right way and upholding private crookedness so as to restrain the ruler above and obstruct the government below, are innumerable.
且夫内以党与劫弑其君,外以诸侯之权矫易其国,隐正道,持私曲,上禁君,下挠治者,不可胜数也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: bùkěshèngshǔ
- Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄕㄥˋ ㄕㄨˇ
- Tongyong Pinyin: bùkěshèngshǔ
- Wade–Giles: pu4-kʻo3-shêng4-shu3
- Yale: bù-kě-shèng-shǔ
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bukeeshenqshuu
- Palladius: букэшэншу (bukɛšɛnšu)
- Sinological IPA (key): /pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan; variant in Mainland, dated in Mainland)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: bùkěshēngshǔ
- Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄕㄥ ㄕㄨˇ
- Tongyong Pinyin: bùkěshengshǔ
- Wade–Giles: pu4-kʻo3-shêng1-shu3
- Yale: bù-kě-shēng-shǔ
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bukeeshengshuu
- Palladius: букэшэншу (bukɛšɛnšu)
- Sinological IPA (key): /pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: bat1 ho2 sing1 sou2
- Yale: bāt hó sīng sóu
- Cantonese Pinyin: bat7 ho2 sing1 sou2
- Guangdong Romanization: bed1 ho2 xing1 sou2
- Sinological IPA (key): /pɐt̚⁵ hɔː³⁵ sɪŋ⁵⁵ sou̯³⁵/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Idiom
不可勝數
- too numerous to count
- 漢室中微,王莽篡位,士之蘊藉義憤甚矣。是時裂冠毀冕,相攜持而去之者,蓋不可勝數。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5th century CE
- Hànshì zhōngwēi, Wáng Mǎng cuànwèi, shì zhī yùnjiè yìfèn shèn yǐ. Shìshí liè huān huǐ miǎn, xiāng xiéchí ér qù zhī zhě, gài bùkěshèngshù. [Pinyin]
- When the Han declined in significance and Wang Mang usurped the throne, even courteous gentlemen of refined temperament were swollen with righteous indignation. At that time those who tore off their official hats, destroyed their ceremonial caps, joined hands and departed from service were too numerous to be counted.
汉室中微,王莽篡位,士之蕴藉义愤甚矣。是时裂冠毁冕,相携持而去之者,盖不可胜数。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]