前倨後恭
Chinese
front, forepart; in front; past front, forepart; in front; past; former; previous; last; before; preceding; earlier; ago; future; time ahead; first; top; battlefront; to move forward |
haughty; arrogant | back; behind; rear back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later |
respectful | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (前倨後恭) | 前 | 倨 | 後 | 恭 | |
| simp. (前倨后恭) | 前 | 倨 | 后 | 恭 | |
Etymology
Quoted from Su Qin, where he was ridiculng his sister-in-law for her attitude after he became famous:
- 蘇秦笑謂其嫂曰：「何前倨而後恭也？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
- Sū Qín xiào wèi qí sǎo yuē: “Hé qián jù ér hòu gōng yě?” [Pinyin]
- Su Qin smiled and said to his sister-in-law, “Why were you so arrogant in the past but so respectful to me now?”
苏秦笑谓其嫂曰：“何前倨而后恭也？” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
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