不一而足
Chinese
and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast) |
foot; to be sufficient | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| simp. and trad. (不一而足) |
不一 | 而 | 足 | |
Etymology
The original and literal meaning in the Gongyang was "to not make full (the approval) all at once", i.e., to be conditional and graduated in dispensing approval. It was also written as "不壹而足" in the Gongyang, and typically used in the phrase
- 許夷狄者不一而足也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Commentary of Gongyang, c. 206 BCE– 9 CE
- Xǔ yídí zhě bù yī'érzú yě. [Pinyin]
- To approve of a barbarian, one does not do so to the full degree all at once.
许夷狄者不一而足也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
As chengyu, the phrase has been re-analysed semantically in common usage and shifted in meaning.
Pronunciation
Idiom
不一而足
- cannot be described only by one example; by no means an isolated case; to be numerous; innumerable
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