百尺竿頭，更進一步

Chinese

		hundred	a Chinese foot (M); one-third of a metre; a ruler a Chinese foot (M); one-third of a metre; a ruler; a note musical note on traditional Chinese scale	bamboo pole's uppermost tip; acme		to change; more; even more to change; more; even more; further; still; still more	advance; enter; to come in	one step; a single step
trad. (百尺竿頭，更進一步)		百	尺	竿頭	，	更	進	一步
simp. (百尺竿头，更进一步)		百	尺	竿头	，	更	进	一步
alternative forms		百尺竿頭更進一步／百尺竿头更进一步

Etymology

Literally: Even a 100 foot stalk of bamboo can progress one more step.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bǎi chǐ gāntóu, gèng jìn yībù

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄞˇ ㄔˇ ㄍㄢ ㄊㄡˊ , ㄍㄥˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): baak³ cek³ gon¹ tau⁴, gang³ zeon³ jat¹ bou⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bǎi chǐ gāntóu, gèng jìn yībù [Phonetic: báichǐgāntóu,gèngjìnyíbù]
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄞˇ ㄔˇ ㄍㄢ ㄊㄡˊ , ㄍㄥˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄧ ㄅㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bǎi chǐh gantóu, gèng jìn yibù
    • Wade–Giles: pai³ chʻih³ kan¹-tʻou², kêng⁴ chin⁴ i¹-pu⁴
    • Yale: bǎi chř gān-tóu-, gèng jìn yī-bù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bae chyy gantour, genq jinn ibuh
    • Palladius: бай чи ганьтоу, гэн цзинь ибу (baj či ganʹtou, gɛn czinʹ ibu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ kän⁵⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ kɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ pu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: baak³ cek³ gon¹ tau⁴, gang³ zeon³ jat¹ bou⁶
    • Yale: baak chek gōn tàuh, gang jeun yāt bouh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: baak⁸ tsek⁸ gon¹ tau⁴, gang³ dzoen³ jat⁷ bou⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: bag³ cég³ gon¹ teo⁴, geng³ zên³ yed¹ bou⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /paːk̚³ t͡sʰɛːk̚³ kɔːn⁵⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ kɐŋ³³ t͡sɵn³³ jɐt̚⁵ pou̯²²/

Proverb

百尺竿頭，更進一步

1. Even though one has reached great heights of success, one should still strive to improve oneself.