稍縱即逝

Chinese

		somewhat; a little	even if; release; vertical	namely; right away; to approach namely; right away; to approach; to draw near	depart; die
trad. (稍縱即逝)		稍	縱	即	逝
simp. (稍纵即逝)		稍	纵	即	逝

Etymology

From a famous prose by Su Shi:

故畫竹必先得成竹於胸中，執筆熟視，乃見其所欲畫者，急起從之，振筆直遂，以追其所見，如兔起鶻落，少縱則逝矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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故画竹必先得成竹于胸中，执笔熟视，乃见其所欲画者，急起从之，振笔直遂，以追其所见，如兔起鹘落，少纵则逝矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: c. 1079, Su Shi（蘇軾）, 《文與可畫篔簹谷偃竹記》, translated by Lin Yutang

Gù huà zhú bì xiān dé chéng zhú yú xiōngzhōng, zhíbǐ shúshì, nǎi jiàn qí suǒ yù huà zhě, jí qǐ cóng zhī, zhèn bǐ zhí suì, yǐ zhuī qí suǒjiàn, rú tù qǐ hú luò, shào zòng zé shì yǐ. [Pinyin]

Therefore in painting bamboos, one must have bamboo formed in one's breast; at the time of painting, one concentrates and sees what one wants to paint. Immediately one follows the idea, handles one's brush to pursue the image just seen, like a hawk swooping down on a rabbit. With a moment's hesitation, it would be lost.

Note: here in Classical Chinese 少 (shǎo) and 稍 (shāo) share the same meaning.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shāozòngjíshì

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄠ ㄗㄨㄥˋ ㄐㄧˊ ㄕˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): saau² zung³ zik¹ sai⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shāozòngjíshì
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄠ ㄗㄨㄥˋ ㄐㄧˊ ㄕˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shaozòngjíshìh
    • Wade–Giles: shao¹-tsung⁴-chi²-shih⁴
    • Yale: shāu-dzùng-jí-shr̀
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shautzonqjyishyh
    • Palladius: шаоцзунцзиши (šaoczuncziši)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: saau² zung³ zik¹ sai⁶
    • Yale: sáau jung jīk saih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: saau² dzung³ dzik⁷ sai⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: sao² zung³ jig¹ sei⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /saːu̯³⁵ t͡sʊŋ³³ t͡sɪk̚⁵ sɐi̯²²/

Adjective

稍縱即逝

1. (literary) transient; fleeting