捲土重來
Chinese
[edit]| trad. (捲土重來/卷土重來) | 捲土/卷土 | 重來 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| simp. (卷土重来) | 卷土 | 重来 | |
Etymology
[edit]First attested in 841 in Du Mu's famous poem On the Pavilion by the Wu River:
- 勝敗兵家事不期，包羞忍恥是男兒。江東子弟多才俊，卷土重來未可知。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: 841 (or 839), Du Mu, 《題烏江亭》
- Shèngbài bīngjiā shì bùqī, bāoxiūrěnchǐ shì nán'ér. Jiāngdōng zǐdì duō cáijùn, juǎntǔchónglái wèi kězhī. [Pinyin]
- Battle results are always hard to be foretold;
But to endure the shame is indeed brave and bold.
There's no lack of talents at River's East,
A comeback may be launched before you can know.
胜败兵家事不期，包羞忍耻是男儿。江东子弟多才俊，卷土重来未可知。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
[edit]- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄐㄩㄢˇ ㄊㄨˇ ㄔㄨㄥˊ ㄌㄞˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: jyuǎntǔchónglái
- Wade–Giles: chüan3-tʻu3-chʻung2-lai2
- Yale: jywǎn-tǔ-chúng-lái
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeuantuuchornglai
- Palladius: цзюаньтучунлай (czjuanʹtučunlaj)
- Sinological IPA (key): /t͡ɕy̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ laɪ̯³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: gyun2 tou2 cung4 loi4
- Yale: gyún tóu chùhng lòih
- Cantonese Pinyin: gyn2 tou2 tsung4 loi4
- Guangdong Romanization: gün2 tou2 cung4 loi4
- Sinological IPA (key): /kyːn³⁵ tʰou̯³⁵ t͡sʰʊŋ²¹ lɔːi̯²¹/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Middle Chinese: kjwenX thuX drjowng loj
Idiom
[edit]捲土重來
- to stage a comeback after regaining one's strength
- 項氏以八千人渡江，敗亡之餘，無一還者，其失人心為甚，誰肯復附之！其不能捲土重來決矣。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: 1167, 胡仔 (Hú Zī),《苕溪漁隱叢話》Second Collection, Volume XV
- Xiàng-shì yǐ bāqiān rén dùjiāng, bàiwáng zhīyú, wú yī huán zhě, qí shī rénxīn wéishèn, shúi kěn fù fù zhī! Qí bùnéng juǎntǔchónglái jué yǐ. [Pinyin]
- Xiang Yu initially led eight thousand young men across the Wu River, [advancing westward,] yet by the time he retreated to the riverbank after the tremendous defeat not a single one of them had survived. [Were he to cross back east and return] he would have completely lost people's support. Who would be willing to follow him again? It was absolutely impossible to make a comeback.
项氏以八千人渡江，败亡之余，无一还者，其失人心为甚，谁肯复附之！其不能卷土重来决矣。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
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