難能可貴

Chinese

		disaster; distress; to scold disaster; distress; to scold; difficult (to...); problem; difficulty; difficult; not good	ability; can; may ability; can; may; capable; energy; able	valuable; treasured; precious valuable; treasured; precious; praiseworthy
trad. (難能可貴)		難	能	可貴
simp. (难能可贵)		难	能	可贵

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): nánnéngkěguì

(Zhuyin): ㄋㄢˊ ㄋㄥˊ ㄎㄜˇ ㄍㄨㄟˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): naan⁴ nang⁴ ho² gwai³
Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): lân-lêng-khó-kùi

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: nánnéngkěguì
  - Zhuyin: ㄋㄢˊ ㄋㄥˊ ㄎㄜˇ ㄍㄨㄟˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: nánnéngkěguèi
  - Wade–Giles: nan²-nêng²-kʻo³-kuei⁴
  - Yale: nán-néng-kě-gwèi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: nannengkeeguey
  - Palladius: наньнэнкэгуй (nanʹnɛnkɛguj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /nän³⁵ nɤŋ³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: naan⁴ nang⁴ ho² gwai³
  - Yale: nàahn nàhng hó gwai
  - Cantonese Pinyin: naan⁴ nang⁴ ho² gwai³
  - Guangdong Romanization: nan⁴ neng⁴ ho² guei³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /naːn²¹ nɐŋ²¹ hɔː³⁵ kʷɐi̯³³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lân-lêng-khó-kùi
  - Tâi-lô: lân-lîng-khó-kuì
  - Phofsit Daibuun: lanlengqoy'kuix
  - IPA (Xiamen): /lan²⁴⁻²² liɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kui²¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /lan²⁴⁻²² liɪŋ²⁴⁻²² kʰo⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ kui⁴¹/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /lan¹³⁻²² liɪŋ¹³⁻²² kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kui²¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /lan²⁴⁻¹¹ liɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kui¹¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /lan²³⁻³³ liɪŋ²³⁻³³ kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kui²¹/

Idiom

難能可貴

precious and praiseworthy as such an achievement is difficult to make
- 今雖國體革更，故文彫落，而遺老耆宿，羈旅他鄉，支離斗室，風瀟雨晦，雞鳴不已，相與吮墨濡毫於舉世不爲之日，而毅然爲千鈞一髮之維繫，信乎其難能可貴者歟！ [Literary Chinese, trad.]
  今虽国体革更，故文雕落，而遗老耆宿，羁旅他乡，支离斗室，风潇雨晦，鸡鸣不已，相与吮墨濡毫于举世不为之日，而毅然为千钧一发之维系，信乎其难能可贵者欤！ [Literary Chinese, simp.]
  From: 1924, 王文濡,《續古文觀止》序
  Jīn suī guótǐ gégēng, gù wén diāoluò, ér yílǎo qísù, jīlǚ tāxiāng, zhīlí dǒushì, fēngxiāoyǔhuì, jīmíng bùyǐ, xiāngyǔ shǔnmò rúháo yú jǔshì bùwéi zhī rì, ér yìrán wèi qiānjūnyīfà zhī wéixì, xìnhū qí nánnéngkěguì zhě yú! [Pinyin]
  Although the nation’s system has undergone transformation and literary traditions have declined, there still remain elderly scholars and venerable figures who, displaced to foreign lands and confined to cramped quarters, endure the harsh winds and gloomy rains, along with the relentless crowing of roosters. Yet, even in such adversity, they resolutely dip their brushes in ink and compose works, despite living in an era where such efforts are universally disregarded. Their unwavering commitment, serving as a fragile yet crucial thread of continuity, is indeed admirable and deeply praiseworthy.