捉襟見肘

See also: 捉襟见肘

Chinese

		to clutch; to grab; to capture	overlapping part of Chinese gown	to see; to meet; to appear to see; to meet; to appear; to interview	elbow; pork shoulder
trad. (捉襟見肘)		捉	襟	見	肘
simp. (捉襟见肘)		捉	襟	见	肘
alternative forms		捉衿見肘／捉衿见肘
Literally: “to clutch one's collar only to expose one's elbows”.

Etymology

The idiom arose from an anecdote variously attributed to Zeng Shen or Yuan Xian.

曾子居衛…正冠而纓絕，捉衿而肘見，納履而踵決。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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曾子居卫…正冠而缨绝，捉衿而肘见，纳履而踵决。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zēngzǐ jū Wèi... Zhèngguān ér yīngjué, zhuōjīn ér zhǒuxiàn, nàlǚ ér zhǒngjué. [Pinyin]

Zeng-zi was residing in Wey.… [I]f he put his cap on straight, the strings would break; if he drew tight the overlap of his robe, his elbow would be seen; in putting on his shoes, the heels would burst them.

原憲居魯…正冠則纓絕，振襟則肘見，納履則踵決。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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原宪居鲁…正冠则缨绝，振襟则肘见，纳履则踵决。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Han Ying (韓嬰), traditionally attributed. c. mid. 2nd century BCE, Han Shi Waizhuan (《韓詩外傳》). Based on the translation by James Robert Hightower.

Yuán Xiàn jū Lǔ... Zhèngguān zé yīngjué, zhènjīn zé zhǒuxiàn, nàlǚ zé zhǒngjué. [Pinyin]

Yuan Xian dwelt in Lu… He straightened his cap and the string broke; he adjusted the lapel of his gown and his elbows came out; he put on his shoes and the heels burst.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zhuōjīnjiànzhǒu, zhuōjīnxiànzhǒu

  (Zhuyin): ㄓㄨㄛ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄓㄡˇ, ㄓㄨㄛ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄓㄡˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zuk¹ kam¹ gin⁶ zau²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhuōjīnjiànzhǒu
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄨㄛ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄓㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhuojinjiànjhǒu
    • Wade–Giles: cho¹-chin¹-chien⁴-chou³
    • Yale: jwō-jīn-jyàn-jǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: juojinjiannjoou
    • Palladius: чжоцзиньцзяньчжоу (čžoczinʹczjanʹčžou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhuōjīnxiànzhǒu
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄨㄛ ㄐㄧㄣ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄓㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhuojinsiànjhǒu
    • Wade–Giles: cho¹-chin¹-hsien⁴-chou³
    • Yale: jwō-jīn-syàn-jǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: juojinshiannjoou
    • Palladius: чжоцзиньсяньчжоу (čžoczinʹsjanʹčžou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂu̯ɔ⁵⁵ t͡ɕin⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

Note: The Xiandai Hanyu Guifan Cidian suggests zhuōjīnjiànzhǒu.

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zuk¹ kam¹ gin⁶ zau²
    • Yale: jūk kām gihn jáu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzuk⁷ kam¹ gin⁶ dzau²
    • Guangdong Romanization: zug¹ kem¹ gin⁶ zeo²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʊk̚⁵ kʰɐm⁵⁵ kiːn²² t͡sɐu̯³⁵/

Idiom

捉襟見肘

1. to be pitifully poor; to be desperately poor; to be hard up
2. to have too many problems to handle at one time; to be severely lacking in resources to deal with issues on multiple fronts

Synonyms

• (to have too many problems to handle at one time): 顧此失彼／顾此失彼 (gùcǐshībǐ)