逐鹿

Chinese

	to pursue; to chase; individually to pursue; to chase; individually; one by one	deer
trad. (逐鹿)	逐	鹿
simp. ^#(逐鹿)	逐	鹿
Literally: “to pursue the deer”.

Etymology

秦失其鹿，天下共逐之，於是高材疾足者先得焉。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

秦失其鹿，天下共逐之，于是高材疾足者先得焉。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Qín shī qí lù, tiānxià gòng zhú zhī, yúshì gāo cái jí zú zhě xiān dé yān. [Pinyin]

After Qin lost its deer (as a metaphor for throne), everyone was chasing for it. Then those who had outstanding talents and could act quickly could obtain it first.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): zhúlù

(Zhuyin): ㄓㄨˊ ㄌㄨˋ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zhúlù
  - Zhuyin: ㄓㄨˊ ㄌㄨˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jhúlù
  - Wade–Giles: chu²-lu⁴
  - Yale: jú-lù
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jwuluh
  - Palladius: чжулу (čžulu)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂu³⁵ lu⁵¹/

Verb

逐鹿

(figurative, historical) to fight for the throne
(figurative) to vie for supremacy; to compete (in a market or a competition)

Derived terms

中原逐鹿
斬蛇逐鹿 / 斩蛇逐鹿
逐鹿中原 (zhúlùzhōngyuán)