明察秋毫

Chinese

		to inspect or observe publicly; to note clearly; to perceive	a small amount; a little bit; in the slightest
trad. (明察秋毫)		明察	秋毫
simp. #(明察秋毫)		明察	秋毫

Etymology

From Mencius (《孟子·梁惠王上》):

曰：「有復於王者曰：『吾力足以舉百鈞』，而不足以舉一羽；『明足以察秋毫之末』，而不見輿薪，則王許之乎？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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曰：「有复于王者曰：『吾力足以举百钧』，而不足以举一羽；『明足以察秋毫之末』，而不见舆薪，则王许之乎？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yuē: “Yǒu fù yú wáng zhě yuē: ‘Wú lì zúyǐ jǔ bǎi jūn’, ér bù zúyǐ jǔ yī yǔ; ‘míng zúyǐ chá qiūháo zhī mò’, ér bùjiàn yú xīn, zé wáng xǔ zhī hū?” [Pinyin]

Mencius replied, "Suppose a man were to make this statement to your Majesty: 'My strength is sufficient to lift three thousand catties, but it is not sufficient to lift one feather; my eyesight is sharp enough to examine the point of an autumn hair, but I do not see a wagon-load of faggots;' would your Majesty allow what he said?"

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): míngchá qiūháo

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄔㄚˊ ㄑㄧㄡ ㄏㄠˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ming⁴ caat³ cau¹ hou⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: míngchá qiūháo
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄔㄚˊ ㄑㄧㄡ ㄏㄠˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: míngchá ciouháo
    • Wade–Giles: ming²-chʻa² chʻiu¹-hao²
    • Yale: míng-chá chyōu-háu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mingchar chiouhaur
    • Palladius: минча цюхао (minča cjuxao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰä³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ xɑʊ̯³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: ming⁴ caat³ cau¹ hou⁴
    • Yale: mìhng chaat chāu hòuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴ tsaat⁸ tsau¹ hou⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴ cad³ ceo¹ hou⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹ t͡sʰaːt̚³ t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵ hou̯²¹/

Idiom

明察秋毫

1. to perceive the minutest details