不啻

不啻

1. (literary, chiefly for emphasis) to be no less than; to exceed

   • 人之彥聖，其心好之，不啻如自其口出，是能容之。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     人之彦圣，其心好之，不啻如自其口出，是能容之。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Rén zhī yàn shèng, qí xīn hào zhī, bùchì rú zì qí kǒu chū, shì néng róng zhī. [Pinyin]

     When he finds accomplished and sage men, loving them in his heart more than his mouth expresses, really showing himself able to bear them.

   • 大喜，籠歸，舉家慶賀，雖連城拱璧不啻也。土于盆而養之，蟹白栗黃，備極護愛。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     大喜，笼归，举家庆贺，虽连城拱璧不啻也。土于盆而养之，蟹白栗黄，备极护爱。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1740 CE, Pu Songling, Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio

     Dà xǐ, lóng guī, jǔjiā qìnghè, suī liánchéng gǒngbì bùchì yě. Tǔ yú pén ér yǎng zhī, xièbái lìhuáng, bèi jí hù ài. [Pinyin]

     Great was his joy as he put it in he cage and retuned home. The whole family rejoiced as if he had found a treasure more precious than the legendary piece of jade to the worth of fifteen cities. They put it in a basin and nourished it on crab meat and chestnuts, going to every extreme to give it the best of care.

2. (literary) to be no more than

   • 且《太玄》今竟何用乎？不啻覆醬瓿而已。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     且《太玄》今竟何用乎？不啻覆酱瓿而已。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Yan Zhitui, The Family Instructions of Master Yan, 6^th century CE

     Qiě “Tàixuán” jīn jìng hé yòng hū? Bùchì fùjiàngbù éryǐ. [Pinyin]

     Moreover, what is the use of Taixuanjing nowadays? At best, it can be used to cover jars of sauce.

   • 書畫奇物，老弟近年視之，不啻如糞土也。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     书画奇物，老弟近年视之，不啻如粪土也。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1096, Su Shi,《與蒲傳正書》 (Letter to Pu Zongmeng)

     Shūhuà qí wù, lǎodì jìnnián shì zhī, bùchì rú fèntǔ yě. [Pinyin]

     Over the years, I've come to regard calligraphy and painting and other precious things as nothing more than dirt.

3. (literary) to be no different from; to be tantamount to

   • 故時未至，聖賢不進而求；時既來，聖賢不退而讓：蓋得之則不啻乎事半而功倍也，失之則不啻乎事倍而功半也。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     故时未至，圣贤不进而求；时既来，圣贤不退而让：盖得之则不啻乎事半而功倍也，失之则不啻乎事倍而功半也。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 815, Bai Juyi,《為人上宰相書》

     Gù shí wèi zhì, shèngxián bù jìn ér qiú; shí jì lái, shèngxián bù tuì ér ràng: gài dé zhī zé bùchìhū shì bàn ér gōng bèi yě, shī zhī zé bùchìhū shì bèi ér gōng bàn yě. [Pinyin]

     When the right time has not yet come, sages and wise men do not actively seek after it, but should it come, they will not give up the opportunity to others either. For, if one grasps the opportunity, it is tantamount to achieving twice the result with half the effort, whereas, if one misses it, the effort is doubtless to be doubled and the result may get halved too.

• (to be no less than): 不止 (bùzhǐ)
• (to be no more than): 不過／不过 (bùguò), 充其量 (chōngqíliàng)
• (to be no different from): 如同 (rútóng), 無異於／无异于 (wúyìyú)

不啻

1. (literary) not only

   • 爾克敬，天惟畀矜爾；爾不克敬，爾不啻不有爾土，予亦致天之罰于爾躬。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     尔克敬，天惟畀矜尔；尔不克敬，尔不啻不有尔土，予亦致天之罚于尔躬。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Ěr kè jìng, tiān wéi bì jīn ěr; ěr bùkè jìng, ěr bùchì bùyǒu ěr tǔ, yǔ yì zhì tiān zhī fá yú ěr gōng. [Pinyin]

     If you can reverently obey, Heaven will favour and compassionate you. If you do not reverently obey, you shall not only not have your lands, but I will also carry to the utmost Heaven's inflictions on your persons.