擇主而事

See also: 择主而事

Chinese

		pick over; to select; to choose pick over; to select; to choose; to pick	to own; to host; master to own; to host; master; lord; primary	and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)	matter; thing; item matter; thing; item; work; affair
trad. (擇主而事)		擇	主	而	事
simp. (择主而事)		择	主	而	事

Etymology

• c. 1330 - 1400: Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms/Chapter 3 and Chapter 14

  良禽擇木而棲，賢臣擇主而事。

  A good bird chooses (for himself) the tree upon which to perch, the talented subject chooses (for himself) the lord that he shall serve.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zézhǔ'érshì

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄜˊ ㄓㄨˇ ㄦˊ ㄕˋ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zézhǔ'érshì
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄜˊ ㄓㄨˇ ㄦˊ ㄕˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zéjhǔ-érshìh
    • Wade–Giles: tsê²-chu³-êrh²-shih⁴
    • Yale: dzé-jǔ-ér-shr̀
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzerjuuerlshyh
    • Palladius: цзэчжуэрши (czɛčžuerši)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɤ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

Idiom

擇主而事

1. to choose a talented and wise lord under which to serve

Related terms

• 良禽擇木／良禽择木 (liángqínzémù)
• 良禽擇木而棲／良禽择木而栖 (liángqín zé mù ér qī)