四體不勤，五穀不分

Chinese

four limbs of a human; arms and legs not; no diligent; frequent the Five Grains or Five Cereals to not distinguish between
trad. (四體不勤，五穀不分) 四體 不 勤 ， 五穀 不分
simp. (四体不勤，五谷不分) 四体 不 勤 ， 五谷 不分
Literally: “One's four limbs never move and cannot distinguish the five kinds of cereals”.

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 18 (《論語·微子》):

子路從而後，遇丈人以杖荷蓧。子路問曰：『子見夫子乎？』丈人曰：『四體不勤，五穀不分，孰為夫子？』 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
子路从而后，遇丈人以杖荷𦰏。子路问曰：『子见夫子乎？』丈人曰：『四体不勤，五谷不分，孰为夫子？』 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
Zǐlù cóng ér hòu, yù zhàngrén yǐ zhàng hé yóu. Zǐlù wèn yuē: ‘Zǐ jiàn fūzǐ hū?’ Zhàngrén yuē: ‘Sìtǐ bù qín, wǔgǔ bùfēn, shú wèi fūzǐ?’ [Pinyin]
Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds. Tsze-lu said to him, "Have you seen my master, sir!" The old man replied, "Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain:—who is your master?"

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): sìtǐ bù qín, wǔgǔ bùfēn
    (Zhuyin): ㄙˋ ㄊㄧˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄑㄧㄣˊ , ㄨˇ ㄍㄨˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄣ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): sei3 tai2 bat1 kan4, ng5 guk1 bat1 fan1
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: sìtǐ bù qín, wǔgǔ bùfēn [Phonetic: sìtǐbùqín,wúgǔbùfēn]
      • Zhuyin: ㄙˋ ㄊㄧˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄑㄧㄣˊ , ㄨˇ ㄍㄨˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄣ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: sìhtǐ bù cín, wǔgǔ bùfen
      • Wade–Giles: ssŭ4-tʻi3 pu4 chʻin2, wu3-ku3 pu4-fên1
      • Yale: sz̀-tǐ bù chín-, wǔ-gǔ bù-fēn
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: syhtii bu chyn, wuuguu bufen
      • Palladius: сыти бу цинь, угу буфэнь (syti bu cinʹ, ugu bufɛnʹ)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /sz̩⁵¹ tʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ fən⁵⁵/
  • Cantonese

Idiom

四體不勤，五穀不分

  1. (of scholars) to be detached from practical life (e.g. by not engaging in manual labor) and lack practical knowledge and skills
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