唯唯諾諾
Chinese
| to say respectful words of compliance; to say a bunch of yes sirs and madams | sound of agreeing submissively | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (唯唯諾諾) | 唯唯 | 諾諾 | |
| simp. (唯唯诺诺) | 唯唯 | 诺诺 | |
Etymology
From Han Feizi, Chapter 9 (《韓非子·八姦》):
- 優笑侏儒,左右近習,此人主未命而唯唯,未使而諾諾,先意承旨,觀貌察色以先主心者也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
- From: Han Feizi, circa 2nd century BCE, translated based on W. K. Liao's version
- Yōu xiào zhūrú, zuǒyòu jìn xí, cǐ rénzhǔ wèi mìng ér wéiwéi, wèi shǐ ér nuònuò, xiān yì chéng zhǐ, guān mào chá sè yǐ xiān zhǔ xīn zhě yě. [Pinyin]
- Actors, jokers, and clowns as well as attendants and courtiers would say, "At your service, at your service," before the sovereign has given any order, and say, "Yes, yes," before he has commanded them to do anything, thus taking orders ahead of his words and looking at his facial expressions and judging his needs by his colour in order thereby to render him service before he makes up his mind.
优笑侏儒,左右近习,此人主未命而唯唯,未使而诺诺,先意承旨,观貌察色以先主心者也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Pinyin): wéiwéinuònuò, wěiwěinuònuò
- (Zhuyin): ㄨㄟˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄋㄨㄛˋ ㄋㄨㄛˋ, ㄨㄟˇ ㄨㄟˇ ㄋㄨㄛˋ ㄋㄨㄛˋ
- Cantonese (Jyutping): wai4 wai4 nok6 nok6
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: wéiwéinuònuò
- Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄋㄨㄛˋ ㄋㄨㄛˋ
- Tongyong Pinyin: wéiwéinuònuò
- Wade–Giles: wei2-wei2-no4-no4
- Yale: wéi-wéi-nwò-nwò
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: weiweinuohnuoh
- Palladius: вэйвэйноно (vɛjvɛjnono)
- Sinological IPA (key): /weɪ̯³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ nu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ nu̯ɔ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan; variant in Mainland)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: wěiwěinuònuò [Phonetic: wéiwěinuònuò]
- Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˇ ㄨㄟˇ ㄋㄨㄛˋ ㄋㄨㄛˋ
- Tongyong Pinyin: wěiwěinuònuò
- Wade–Giles: wei3-wei3-no4-no4
- Yale: wěi-wěi-nwò-nwò
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: woeiwoeinuohnuoh
- Palladius: вэйвэйноно (vɛjvɛjnono)
- Sinological IPA (key): /weɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ weɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ nu̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ nu̯ɔ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: wai4 wai4 nok6 nok6
- Yale: wàih wàih nohk nohk
- Cantonese Pinyin: wai4 wai4 nok9 nok9
- Guangdong Romanization: wei4 wei4 nog6 nog6
- Sinological IPA (key): /wɐi̯²¹ wɐi̯²¹ nɔːk̚² nɔːk̚²/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Idiom
唯唯諾諾