挾泰山以超北海

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Chinese

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clasp under the arm; coerce; hold between Mount Tai
to use; according to; so as to
to use; according to; so as to; in order to; by; with; because; Israel (abbrev.)
 
to exceed; overtake; surpass
to exceed; overtake; surpass; transcend; ultra-; super-; to pass; to cross
 
the most remote area in the north; North Sea
trad. (挾泰山以超北海) 泰山 北海
simp. (挟泰山以超北海) 泰山 北海
alternative forms 挾太山以超北海挟太山以超北海
Literally: “to hold Mount Tai under the arm and cross the North Sea”.

Etymology

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From Mencius:

:「太山北海不能』,不能長者不能』,不為不能太山北海。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
:「太山北海不能』,不能长者不能』,不为不能太山北海。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE
Yuē: “Xié tàishān chāo běihǎi, yù rén yuē ‘wǒ bùnéng’, shì chéng bùnéng yě. Wèi chángzhě zhé zhī, yù rén yuē ‘wǒ bùnéng’, shì bùwéi yě, fēi bùnéng yě. Gù wáng zhī bù wàng, fēi xié tàishān yǐ chāo běihǎi zhī lèi yě; wáng zhī bù wàng, shì zhé zhī zhī lèi yě.” [Pinyin]
Mencius replied,'In such a thing as taking the Tai mountain under your arm, and leaping over the north sea with it, if you say to people "I am not able to do it," that is a real case of not being able. In such a matter as breaking off a branch from a tree at the order of a superior, if you say to people "I am not able to do it," that is a case of not doing it, it is not a case of not being able to do it. Therefore your Majesty's not exercising the royal sway, is not such a case as that of taking the Tai mountain under your arm, and leaping over the north sea with it. Your Majesty's not exercising the royal sway is a case like that of breaking off a branch from a tree.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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挾泰山以超北海

  1. (figuratively) to do something impossible; to be a mere fantasy