"曲高和寡" meaning in Chinese

See 曲高和寡 in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Phrase

IPA: /t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ [Mandarin, Sinological-IPA], /kʰʊk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ wɔː²² kʷaː³⁵/ [Cantonese, Sinological-IPA], /t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/, /kʰʊk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ wɔː²² kʷaː³⁵/ Chinese transliterations: qǔgāohèguǎ [Mandarin, Pinyin], ㄑㄩˇ ㄍㄠ ㄏㄜˋ ㄍㄨㄚˇ [Mandarin, bopomofo], kuk¹ gou¹ wo⁶ gwaa² [Cantonese, Jyutping], qǔgāohèguǎ [Hanyu-Pinyin, Mandarin], cyǔgaohèguǎ [Mandarin, Tongyong-Pinyin], chʻü³-kao¹-ho⁴-kua³ [Mandarin, Wade-Giles], chyǔ-gāu-hè-gwǎ [Mandarin, Yale], cheugauhehgoa [Gwoyeu-Romatsyh, Mandarin], цюйгаохэгуа [Mandarin, Palladius], cjujgaoxɛgua [Mandarin, Palladius], kūk gōu woh gwá [Cantonese, Yale], kuk⁷ gou¹ wo⁶ gwaa² [Cantonese, Pinyin], kug¹ gou¹ wo⁶ gua² [Cantonese, Guangdong-Romanization]
Etymology: From an ancient piece of dialogue disputably bearing the author's name of Song Yu 楚襄王問於宋玉曰:「先生其有遺行與?何士民衆庶,不譽之甚也?」宋玉對曰:「唯!然!有之。願大王寬其罪,使得畢其辭。客有歌於郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,國中屬而和者數千人;其為《陽阿》《薤露》,國中屬而和者數百人;其為《陽春》《白雪》,國中屬而和者不過數十人;引商刻羽,雜以流徵,國中屬而和者,不過數人而已。是其曲彌高,其和彌寡。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚襄王问于宋玉曰:「先生其有遗行与?何士民众庶,不誉之甚也?」宋玉对曰:「唯!然!有之。愿大王宽其罪,使得毕其辞。客有歌于郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,国中属而和者数千人;其为《阳阿》《薤露》,国中属而和者数百人;其为《阳春》《白雪》,国中属而和者不过数十人;引商刻羽,杂以流徵,国中属而和者,不过数人而已。是其曲弥高,其和弥寡。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.] From: c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922. Chǔ xiāngwáng wèn yú Sòngyù yuē: “Xiānshēng qí yǒu yíxíng yú? Hé shìmínzhòngshù, bùyù zhī shèn yě?” Sòngyù duì yuē: “Wéi! Rán! Yǒu zhī. Yuàn dàwáng kuān qí zuì, shǐ dé bì qí cí. Kè yǒu gē yú Yǐngzhōng zhě, qí shǐ yuē “xiàlǐ” “bārén”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùqiān rén; qí wéi “yáng'ē” “xièlù”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùbǎi rén; qí wéi “yángchūn” “báixuě”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě bùguò shùshí rén; yǐn shāng kè yǔ, zá yǐ liúzhǐ, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě, bùguò shù rén éryǐ. Shì qí qū mí gāo, qí hè mí guǎ.” [Pinyin] The Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, "What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?" "Abuse me indeed they do," replied the minister; "but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses." Etymology templates: {{circa2|3rd century BC|short=yes}} c. 3rd century BC, {{lw|zh|對楚王問|collapsed=y|pref=宋玉《|suf=》}} 宋玉《對楚王問》, {{zh-x|^楚.襄王 問 於 ^宋-玉 曰:「先生 其 有 遺行 與{yú}?何 士民-衆庶,不-譽 之 甚 也?」^宋-玉 對 曰:「唯!然!有 之。願 大王 寬 其 罪,使 得 畢 其 辭。客 有 歌 於 ^郢中 者,其 始 曰《下里》《巴人》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 數千 人;其 為{wéi}《陽-阿{ē}》《薤-露》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 數-百 人;其 為{wéi}《陽春》《白雪》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 不過 數十 人;引 商 刻 羽,雜 以 流徵􂀿徵􂁀{zhǐ},國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者,不過 數 人 而已。是 其 曲 彌 高,其 和{hè} 彌 寡。」|The Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, "What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?" "Abuse me indeed they do," replied the minister; "but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses."|CL|collapsed=y|ref=c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922.}} 楚襄王問於宋玉曰:「先生其有遺行與?何士民衆庶,不譽之甚也?」宋玉對曰:「唯!然!有之。願大王寬其罪,使得畢其辭。客有歌於郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,國中屬而和者數千人;其為《陽阿》《薤露》,國中屬而和者數百人;其為《陽春》《白雪》,國中屬而和者不過數十人;引商刻羽,雜以流徵,國中屬而和者,不過數人而已。是其曲彌高,其和彌寡。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚襄王问于宋玉曰:「先生其有遗行与?何士民众庶,不誉之甚也?」宋玉对曰:「唯!然!有之。愿大王宽其罪,使得毕其辞。客有歌于郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,国中属而和者数千人;其为《阳阿》《薤露》,国中属而和者数百人;其为《阳春》《白雪》,国中属而和者不过数十人;引商刻羽,杂以流徵,国中属而和者,不过数人而已。是其曲弥高,其和弥寡。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.] From: c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922. Chǔ xiāngwáng wèn yú Sòngyù yuē: “Xiānshēng qí yǒu yíxíng yú? Hé shìmínzhòngshù, bùyù zhī shèn yě?” Sòngyù duì yuē: “Wéi! Rán! Yǒu zhī. Yuàn dàwáng kuān qí zuì, shǐ dé bì qí cí. Kè yǒu gē yú Yǐngzhōng zhě, qí shǐ yuē “xiàlǐ” “bārén”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùqiān rén; qí wéi “yáng'ē” “xièlù”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùbǎi rén; qí wéi “yángchūn” “báixuě”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě bùguò shùshí rén; yǐn shāng kè yǔ, zá yǐ liúzhǐ, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě, bùguò shù rén éryǐ. Shì qí qū mí gāo, qí hè mí guǎ.” [Pinyin] The Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, "What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?" "Abuse me indeed they do," replied the minister; "but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses." Head templates: {{head|zh|idiom}} 曲高和寡
  1. to be highbrow and unpopular, as it cannot be easily understood by the common people Wikipedia link: Herbert Allen Giles, Song Yu Tags: idiomatic
    Sense id: en-曲高和寡-zh-phrase-c4LFJqCP Categories (other): Chinese entries with incorrect language header

Download JSON data for 曲高和寡 meaning in Chinese (8.8kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "3rd century BC",
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        "2": "對楚王問",
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      "expansion": "宋玉《對楚王問》",
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      "args": {
        "1": "^楚.襄王 問 於 ^宋-玉 曰:「先生 其 有 遺行 與{yú}?何 士民-衆庶,不-譽 之 甚 也?」^宋-玉 對 曰:「唯!然!有 之。願 大王 寬 其 罪,使 得 畢 其 辭。客 有 歌 於 ^郢中 者,其 始 曰《下里》《巴人》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 數千 人;其 為{wéi}《陽-阿{ē}》《薤-露》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 數-百 人;其 為{wéi}《陽春》《白雪》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 不過 數十 人;引 商 刻 羽,雜 以 流徵􂀿徵􂁀{zhǐ},國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者,不過 數 人 而已。是 其 曲 彌 高,其 和{hè} 彌 寡。」",
        "2": "The Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, \"What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?\"\n\"Abuse me indeed they do,\" replied the minister; \"but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.\"",
        "3": "CL",
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        "ref": "c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922."
      },
      "expansion": "楚襄王問於宋玉曰:「先生其有遺行與?何士民衆庶,不譽之甚也?」宋玉對曰:「唯!然!有之。願大王寬其罪,使得畢其辭。客有歌於郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,國中屬而和者數千人;其為《陽阿》《薤露》,國中屬而和者數百人;其為《陽春》《白雪》,國中屬而和者不過數十人;引商刻羽,雜以流徵,國中屬而和者,不過數人而已。是其曲彌高,其和彌寡。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚襄王问于宋玉曰:「先生其有遗行与?何士民众庶,不誉之甚也?」宋玉对曰:「唯!然!有之。愿大王宽其罪,使得毕其辞。客有歌于郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,国中属而和者数千人;其为《阳阿》《薤露》,国中属而和者数百人;其为《阳春》《白雪》,国中属而和者不过数十人;引商刻羽,杂以流徵,国中属而和者,不过数人而已。是其曲弥高,其和弥寡。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922.\nChǔ xiāngwáng wèn yú Sòngyù yuē: “Xiānshēng qí yǒu yíxíng yú? Hé shìmínzhòngshù, bùyù zhī shèn yě?” Sòngyù duì yuē: “Wéi! Rán! Yǒu zhī. Yuàn dàwáng kuān qí zuì, shǐ dé bì qí cí. Kè yǒu gē yú Yǐngzhōng zhě, qí shǐ yuē “xiàlǐ” “bārén”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùqiān rén; qí wéi “yáng'ē” “xièlù”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùbǎi rén; qí wéi “yángchūn” “báixuě”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě bùguò shùshí rén; yǐn shāng kè yǔ, zá yǐ liúzhǐ, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě, bùguò shù rén éryǐ. Shì qí qū mí gāo, qí hè mí guǎ.” [Pinyin]\nThe Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, \"What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?\"\n\"Abuse me indeed they do,\" replied the minister; \"but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.\"",
      "name": "zh-x"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From an ancient piece of dialogue disputably bearing the author's name of Song Yu\n楚襄王問於宋玉曰:「先生其有遺行與?何士民衆庶,不譽之甚也?」宋玉對曰:「唯!然!有之。願大王寬其罪,使得畢其辭。客有歌於郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,國中屬而和者數千人;其為《陽阿》《薤露》,國中屬而和者數百人;其為《陽春》《白雪》,國中屬而和者不過數十人;引商刻羽,雜以流徵,國中屬而和者,不過數人而已。是其曲彌高,其和彌寡。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚襄王问于宋玉曰:「先生其有遗行与?何士民众庶,不誉之甚也?」宋玉对曰:「唯!然!有之。愿大王宽其罪,使得毕其辞。客有歌于郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,国中属而和者数千人;其为《阳阿》《薤露》,国中属而和者数百人;其为《阳春》《白雪》,国中属而和者不过数十人;引商刻羽,杂以流徵,国中属而和者,不过数人而已。是其曲弥高,其和弥寡。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922.\nChǔ xiāngwáng wèn yú Sòngyù yuē: “Xiānshēng qí yǒu yíxíng yú? Hé shìmínzhòngshù, bùyù zhī shèn yě?” Sòngyù duì yuē: “Wéi! Rán! Yǒu zhī. Yuàn dàwáng kuān qí zuì, shǐ dé bì qí cí. Kè yǒu gē yú Yǐngzhōng zhě, qí shǐ yuē “xiàlǐ” “bārén”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùqiān rén; qí wéi “yáng'ē” “xièlù”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùbǎi rén; qí wéi “yángchūn” “báixuě”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě bùguò shùshí rén; yǐn shāng kè yǔ, zá yǐ liúzhǐ, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě, bùguò shù rén éryǐ. Shì qí qū mí gāo, qí hè mí guǎ.” [Pinyin]\nThe Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, \"What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?\"\n\"Abuse me indeed they do,\" replied the minister; \"but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.\"",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
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      },
      "expansion": "曲高和寡",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Chinese",
  "lang_code": "zh",
  "literal_meaning": "songs of a highbrow type will find very few people joining in the chorus",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Chinese entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to be highbrow and unpopular, as it cannot be easily understood by the common people"
      ],
      "id": "en-曲高和寡-zh-phrase-c4LFJqCP",
      "links": [
        [
          "highbrow",
          "highbrow"
        ],
        [
          "unpopular",
          "unpopular"
        ],
        [
          "understood",
          "understood"
        ],
        [
          "common",
          "common"
        ],
        [
          "people",
          "people"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "Herbert Allen Giles",
        "Song Yu"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "qǔgāohèguǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "bopomofo"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "ㄑㄩˇ ㄍㄠ ㄏㄜˋ ㄍㄨㄚˇ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Jyutping"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kuk¹ gou¹ wo⁶ gwaa²"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Hanyu-Pinyin",
        "Mandarin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "qǔgāohèguǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Tongyong-Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "cyǔgaohèguǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Wade-Giles"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "chʻü³-kao¹-ho⁴-kua³"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Yale"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "chyǔ-gāu-hè-gwǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Gwoyeu-Romatsyh",
        "Mandarin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "cheugauhehgoa"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "цюйгаохэгуа"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "cjujgaoxɛgua"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/",
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Sinological-IPA"
      ]
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Yale"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kūk gōu woh gwá"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kuk⁷ gou¹ wo⁶ gwaa²"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Guangdong-Romanization"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kug¹ gou¹ wo⁶ gua²"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʰʊk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ wɔː²² kʷaː³⁵/",
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Sinological-IPA"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʰʊk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ wɔː²² kʷaː³⁵/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "曲高和寡"
}
{
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        "1": "3rd century BC",
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "^楚.襄王 問 於 ^宋-玉 曰:「先生 其 有 遺行 與{yú}?何 士民-衆庶,不-譽 之 甚 也?」^宋-玉 對 曰:「唯!然!有 之。願 大王 寬 其 罪,使 得 畢 其 辭。客 有 歌 於 ^郢中 者,其 始 曰《下里》《巴人》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 數千 人;其 為{wéi}《陽-阿{ē}》《薤-露》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 數-百 人;其 為{wéi}《陽春》《白雪》,國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者 不過 數十 人;引 商 刻 羽,雜 以 流徵􂀿徵􂁀{zhǐ},國中 屬{zhǔ} 而 和{hè} 者,不過 數 人 而已。是 其 曲 彌 高,其 和{hè} 彌 寡。」",
        "2": "The Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, \"What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?\"\n\"Abuse me indeed they do,\" replied the minister; \"but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.\"",
        "3": "CL",
        "collapsed": "y",
        "ref": "c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922."
      },
      "expansion": "楚襄王問於宋玉曰:「先生其有遺行與?何士民衆庶,不譽之甚也?」宋玉對曰:「唯!然!有之。願大王寬其罪,使得畢其辭。客有歌於郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,國中屬而和者數千人;其為《陽阿》《薤露》,國中屬而和者數百人;其為《陽春》《白雪》,國中屬而和者不過數十人;引商刻羽,雜以流徵,國中屬而和者,不過數人而已。是其曲彌高,其和彌寡。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚襄王问于宋玉曰:「先生其有遗行与?何士民众庶,不誉之甚也?」宋玉对曰:「唯!然!有之。愿大王宽其罪,使得毕其辞。客有歌于郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,国中属而和者数千人;其为《阳阿》《薤露》,国中属而和者数百人;其为《阳春》《白雪》,国中属而和者不过数十人;引商刻羽,杂以流徵,国中属而和者,不过数人而已。是其曲弥高,其和弥寡。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922.\nChǔ xiāngwáng wèn yú Sòngyù yuē: “Xiānshēng qí yǒu yíxíng yú? Hé shìmínzhòngshù, bùyù zhī shèn yě?” Sòngyù duì yuē: “Wéi! Rán! Yǒu zhī. Yuàn dàwáng kuān qí zuì, shǐ dé bì qí cí. Kè yǒu gē yú Yǐngzhōng zhě, qí shǐ yuē “xiàlǐ” “bārén”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùqiān rén; qí wéi “yáng'ē” “xièlù”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùbǎi rén; qí wéi “yángchūn” “báixuě”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě bùguò shùshí rén; yǐn shāng kè yǔ, zá yǐ liúzhǐ, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě, bùguò shù rén éryǐ. Shì qí qū mí gāo, qí hè mí guǎ.” [Pinyin]\nThe Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, \"What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?\"\n\"Abuse me indeed they do,\" replied the minister; \"but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.\"",
      "name": "zh-x"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From an ancient piece of dialogue disputably bearing the author's name of Song Yu\n楚襄王問於宋玉曰:「先生其有遺行與?何士民衆庶,不譽之甚也?」宋玉對曰:「唯!然!有之。願大王寬其罪,使得畢其辭。客有歌於郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,國中屬而和者數千人;其為《陽阿》《薤露》,國中屬而和者數百人;其為《陽春》《白雪》,國中屬而和者不過數十人;引商刻羽,雜以流徵,國中屬而和者,不過數人而已。是其曲彌高,其和彌寡。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]楚襄王问于宋玉曰:「先生其有遗行与?何士民众庶,不誉之甚也?」宋玉对曰:「唯!然!有之。愿大王宽其罪,使得毕其辞。客有歌于郢中者,其始曰《下里》《巴人》,国中属而和者数千人;其为《阳阿》《薤露》,国中属而和者数百人;其为《阳春》《白雪》,国中属而和者不过数十人;引商刻羽,杂以流徵,国中属而和者,不过数人而已。是其曲弥高,其和弥寡。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: c. 3rd century BC, Song Yu ,宋玉《對楚王問》, translated into English as Unpopularity by Herbert Allen Giles, 1922.\nChǔ xiāngwáng wèn yú Sòngyù yuē: “Xiānshēng qí yǒu yíxíng yú? Hé shìmínzhòngshù, bùyù zhī shèn yě?” Sòngyù duì yuē: “Wéi! Rán! Yǒu zhī. Yuàn dàwáng kuān qí zuì, shǐ dé bì qí cí. Kè yǒu gē yú Yǐngzhōng zhě, qí shǐ yuē “xiàlǐ” “bārén”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùqiān rén; qí wéi “yáng'ē” “xièlù”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě shùbǎi rén; qí wéi “yángchūn” “báixuě”, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě bùguò shùshí rén; yǐn shāng kè yǔ, zá yǐ liúzhǐ, guózhōng zhǔ ér hè zhě, bùguò shù rén éryǐ. Shì qí qū mí gāo, qí hè mí guǎ.” [Pinyin]\nThe Prince of Ch'u said to his prime minister, \"What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?\"\n\"Abuse me indeed they do,\" replied the minister; \"but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.\"",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "zh",
        "2": "idiom"
      },
      "expansion": "曲高和寡",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Chinese",
  "lang_code": "zh",
  "literal_meaning": "songs of a highbrow type will find very few people joining in the chorus",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Cantonese four-character idioms",
        "Cantonese idioms",
        "Cantonese lemmas",
        "Chinese entries with incorrect language header",
        "Chinese four-character idioms",
        "Chinese idioms",
        "Chinese lemmas",
        "Chinese terms with IPA pronunciation",
        "Literary Chinese terms with quotations",
        "Mandarin four-character idioms",
        "Mandarin idioms",
        "Mandarin lemmas"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to be highbrow and unpopular, as it cannot be easily understood by the common people"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "highbrow",
          "highbrow"
        ],
        [
          "unpopular",
          "unpopular"
        ],
        [
          "understood",
          "understood"
        ],
        [
          "common",
          "common"
        ],
        [
          "people",
          "people"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "Herbert Allen Giles",
        "Song Yu"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "qǔgāohèguǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "bopomofo"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "ㄑㄩˇ ㄍㄠ ㄏㄜˋ ㄍㄨㄚˇ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Jyutping"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kuk¹ gou¹ wo⁶ gwaa²"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Hanyu-Pinyin",
        "Mandarin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "qǔgāohèguǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Tongyong-Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "cyǔgaohèguǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Wade-Giles"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "chʻü³-kao¹-ho⁴-kua³"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Yale"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "chyǔ-gāu-hè-gwǎ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Gwoyeu-Romatsyh",
        "Mandarin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "cheugauhehgoa"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "цюйгаохэгуа"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "cjujgaoxɛgua"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/",
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Sinological-IPA"
      ]
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Yale"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kūk gōu woh gwá"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kuk⁷ gou¹ wo⁶ gwaa²"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Guangdong-Romanization"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kug¹ gou¹ wo⁶ gua²"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʰʊk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ wɔː²² kʷaː³⁵/",
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Sinological-IPA"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ⁵¹ ku̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʰʊk̚⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ wɔː²² kʷaː³⁵/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "曲高和寡"
}
{
  "called_from": "pronunciations/296/20230324",
  "msg": "Zh-pron header not found in zh_pron_tags or tags: '(Standard Chinese)⁺'",
  "path": [
    "曲高和寡"
  ],
  "section": "Chinese",
  "subsection": "",
  "title": "曲高和寡",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "pronunciations/296/20230324",
  "msg": "Zh-pron header not found in zh_pron_tags or tags: '(Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺'",
  "path": [
    "曲高和寡"
  ],
  "section": "Chinese",
  "subsection": "",
  "title": "曲高和寡",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Chinese dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-06-23 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-06-20 using wiktextract (1b9bfc5 and 0136956). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.