宰相肚裡能撐船

Chinese

		Chancellor of State	in one's gut; in one's heart; in one's mind in one's gut; in one's heart; in one's mind; in one's conscience	ability; can; may ability; can; may; capable; energy; able	to pole a boat
trad. (宰相肚裡能撐船/宰相肚裏能撐船)		宰相	肚裡/肚裏	能	撐船
simp. (宰相肚里能撑船)		宰相	肚里	能	撑船
Literally: “the chancellor's belly allows people to pole a boat inside”.

Etymology

From Wang Anshi's concubine's reply where she was begging for Wang's pardon when he discovered her affair.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): zǎixiàng dùlǐ néng chēngchuán

(Zhuyin): ㄗㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄉㄨˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄋㄥˊ ㄔㄥㄔㄨㄢˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): zoi² soeng³ tou⁵ leoi⁵ nang⁴ caang¹ syun⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zǎixiàng dùlǐ néng chēngchuán
  - Zhuyin: ㄗㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ ㄉㄨˋ ㄌㄧˇ ㄋㄥˊ ㄔㄥㄔㄨㄢˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: zǎisiàng dùlǐ néng chengchuán
  - Wade–Giles: tsai³-hsiang⁴ tu⁴-li³ nêng² chʻêng¹-chʻuan²
  - Yale: dzǎi-syàng dù-lǐ néng chēng-chwán
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzaeshianq duhlii neng chengchwan
  - Palladius: цзайсян дули нэн чэнчуань (czajsjan duli nɛn čɛnčuanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡saɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ tu⁵¹ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ nɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: zoi² soeng³ tou⁵ leoi⁵ nang⁴ caang¹ syun⁴
  - Yale: jói seung tóuh léuih nàhng chāang syùhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzoi² soeng³ tou⁵ loey⁵ nang⁴ tsaang¹ syn⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: zoi² sêng³ tou⁵ lêu⁵ neng⁴ cang¹ xun⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔːi̯³⁵ sœːŋ³³ tʰou̯¹³ lɵy̯¹³ nɐŋ²¹ t͡sʰaːŋ⁵⁵ syːn²¹/

Idiom

宰相肚裡能撐船

broad-minded; big-hearted; will not be bothered by small matters

Synonyms

大人有大量 (dàrén yǒu dàliàng)
宰相肚裡好撐船 / 宰相肚里好撑船 (zǎixiàng dùlǐ hǎo chēngchuán)