三北

Chinese

		three; many times	north
trad. (三北)		三	北
simp. #(三北)		三	北

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): sānběi

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ ㄅㄟˇ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: sānběi
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ ㄅㄟˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sanběi
    • Wade–Giles: san¹-pei³
    • Yale: sān-běi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sanbeei
    • Palladius: саньбэй (sanʹbɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sän⁵⁵ peɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

Verb

三北

1. (literary) to suffer defeats repeatedly; to lose over and over again

   • 雖三北其何傷兮，待一戰之雪恥。
     吾寐而復醒兮，亦再蹶而再起。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     虽三北其何伤兮，待一战之雪耻。
     吾寐而复醒兮，亦再蹶而再起。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1914 January 29, Hu Shi (胡適), an abridged translation retitled 樂觀主義 (lèguān zhǔyì) of Epilogue to Asolando by the poet Robert Browning

     Suī sānběi qí hé shāng xī, dài yī zhàn zhī xuěchǐ.
     Wú mèi ér fù xǐng xī, yì zài jué ér zàiqǐ. [Pinyin]

     Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better,
     Sleep to wake.

Proper noun

三北

1. (abbreviation) the Three Norths, namely Northeast China (東北／东北 (dōngběi)), North China (華北／华北 (Huáběi)) and Northwest China (西北 (xīběi))
2. (Mainland China) Short for 三北防護林工程 / 三北防护林工程 (Sānběi fánghùlín gōngchéng, “Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, a.k.a. the Great Green Wall of China”).