差若毫釐,謬以千里
Chinese
differ from; short of; to lack differ from; short of; to lack; poor; send; a messenger; a mission; to commission; uneven; difference; discrepancy; to differ; error; to err; to make a mistake |
to seem; like; as to seem; like; as; if |
hair; drawing brush; (in the) least hair; drawing brush; (in the) least; one thousandth |
centi- | absurd; erroneous | to use; according to; so as to to use; according to; so as to; in order to; by; with; because; Israel (abbrev.) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (差若毫釐,謬以千里) | 差 | 若 | 毫 | 釐 | , | 謬 | 以 | 千里 | |
| simp. (差若毫厘,谬以千里) | 差 | 若 | 毫 | 厘 | , | 谬 | 以 | 千里 | |
Etymology
From the Book of Rites, which apparently paraphrases the Classic of Changes:
- 《易》曰:「君子慎始,差若豪氂,繆以千里。」此之謂也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
- From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- “Yì” yuē: “Jūnzǐ shèn shǐ, chā ruò háolí, miù yǐ qiānlǐ.” Cǐ zhī wèi yě. [Pinyin]
- This sentiment is found in the words of the Yi, ‘The superior man is careful at the commencement; a mistake, then, of a hair's breadth, will lead to an error of a thousand li.’
《易》曰:「君子慎始,差若豪牦,缪以千里。」此之谓也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin: chāruòháolí, miùyǐqiānlǐ
- Zhuyin: ㄔㄚ ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄠˊ ㄌㄧˊ , ㄇㄧㄡˋ ㄧˇ ㄑㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ
- Tongyong Pinyin: charuòháolí, miòuyǐcianlǐ
- Wade–Giles: chʻa1-jo4-hao2-li2, miu4-i3-chʻien1-li3
- Yale: chā-rwò-háu-lí-, myòu-yǐ-chyān-lǐ
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: charuohhaurli, miowyiichianlii
- Palladius: чажохаоли, мюицяньли (čažoxaoli, mjuicjanʹli)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʈ͡ʂʰä⁵⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ xɑʊ̯³⁵ li³⁵ mi̯oʊ̯⁵¹ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: caa1 joek6 hou4 lei4, mau6 ji5 cin1 lei5
- Yale: chā yeuhk hòuh lèih, mauh yíh chīn léih
- Cantonese Pinyin: tsaa1 joek9 hou4 lei4, mau6 ji5 tsin1 lei5
- Guangdong Romanization: ca1 yêg6 hou4 léi4, meo6 yi5 qin1 léi5
- Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sʰaː⁵⁵ jœːk̚² hou̯²¹ lei̯²¹ mɐu̯²² jiː¹³ t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ lei̯¹³/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Proverb
差若毫釐,謬以千里
Descendants
- → Vietnamese: sai một li đi một dặm (calque)