行將就木

Chinese

		to be about to; to be on the verge of; to be just going to to be about to; to be on the verge of; to be just going to; to be on the point of	to enter the coffin; to die
trad. (行將就木)		行將	就木
simp. (行将就木)		行将	就木
Literally: “to enter the coffin soon”.

Etymology

將適齊，謂季隗曰：「待我二十五年，不來而後嫁。」對曰：「我二十五年矣，又如是而嫁，則就木焉。請待子。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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将适齐，谓季隗曰：「待我二十五年，不来而后嫁。」对曰：「我二十五年矣，又如是而嫁，则就木焉。请待子。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

Jiāng shì Qí, wèi Jìwěi yuē: “Dài wǒ èrshíwǔ nián, bù lái ér hòujià.” Duì yuē: “Wǒ èrshíwǔ nián yǐ, yòu rúshì ér jià, zé jiùmù yān. Qǐng dài zǐ.” [Pinyin]

Before Chong'er (later Duke Wen of Jin) left for Qi, he said to Jikui (his wife) "Please wait me for 25 years. If I don't come back, you can marry another man." Jikui replied, "I'm now 25 years old now. If it's like that (after 25 years), I'll be entering the coffin very soon when I marry another man. Please let me wait for you."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xíngjiāngjiùmù

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄤ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄇㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hang⁴ zoeng¹ zau⁶ muk⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xíngjiāngjiùmù
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄤ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄇㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: síngjiangjiòumù
    • Wade–Giles: hsing²-chiang¹-chiu⁴-mu⁴
    • Yale: syíng-jyāng-jyòu-mù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyngjiangjiowmuh
    • Palladius: синцзянцзюму (sinczjanczjumu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕiŋ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ mu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: hang⁴ zoeng¹ zau⁶ muk⁶
    • Yale: hàhng jēung jauh muhk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hang⁴ dzoeng¹ dzau⁶ muk⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: heng⁴ zêng¹ zeo⁶ mug⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɐŋ²¹ t͡sœːŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɐu̯²² mʊk̚²/

Idiom

行將就木

1. to be close to death; to approach death