才高八斗

Chinese

		ability; talent; endowment ability; talent; endowment; gift; an expert; only (then); only if; just	high; tall	eight	ladle; dipper; small ladle; dipper; small; big; stars
trad. (才高八斗)		才	高	八	斗
simp. #(才高八斗)		才	高	八	斗

Etymology

From Xie Lingyun's comment about Cao Zhi:

謝靈運嘗曰：「天下才有一石，曹子建獨占八斗，我得一斗，天下共分一斗。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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谢灵运尝曰：「天下才有一石，曹子建独占八斗，我得一斗，天下共分一斗。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Song dynasty, anonymous, 《釋常談》 (Shi Chang Tan)

Xiè Língyùn cháng yuē: “Tiānxià cái yǒu yī dàn, Cáo Zǐjiàn dúzhàn bā dǒu, wǒ dé yī dǒu, tiānxià gòng fēn yī dǒu. [Pinyin]

Xie Lingyun once said, “If all talents in the world weigh one dan (i.e. 10 dous) in total, Cao Zijian (courtesy name of Cao Zhi) owned 8 dous, I own 1 dou, and all others in the world share the remaining 1 dou.”

In this statement, Xie expressed his admiration of Cao Zhi as well as his pride.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): cáigāobādǒu

  (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˊ ㄍㄠ ㄅㄚ ㄉㄡˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): coi⁴ gou¹ baat³ dau²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cáigāobādǒu
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˊ ㄍㄠ ㄅㄚ ㄉㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cáigaobadǒu
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻai²-kao¹-pa¹-tou³
    • Yale: tsái-gāu-bā-dǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsairgaubadoou
    • Palladius: цайгаобадоу (cajgaobadou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ pä⁵⁵ toʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: coi⁴ gou¹ baat³ dau²
    • Yale: chòih gōu baat dáu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi⁴ gou¹ baat⁸ dau²
    • Guangdong Romanization: coi⁴ gou¹ bad³ deo²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹ kou̯⁵⁵ paːt̚³ tɐu̯³⁵/

Idiom

才高八斗

1. of great talent

Synonyms

• 八斗之才