按圖索驥

Chinese

	to press (with the hand); to push; to control to press (with the hand); to push; to control; to restrain; to check; pressing down (brush movement in painting); according to; in the light of	diagram; to plan; picture diagram; to plan; picture; drawing; chart	to search; to demand; to ask to search; to demand; to ask; to exact; large rope; isolated	thoroughbred horse; refined and virtuous
trad. (按圖索驥)	按	圖	索	驥
simp. (按图索骥)	按	图	索	骥
Literally: “to look for a fine horse using only a picture”.

Etymology

From the Book of Han:

今不循伯者之道，乃欲以三代選舉之法取當時之士，猶察伯樂之圖，求騏驥於市，而不可得，亦已明矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

今不循伯者之道，乃欲以三代选举之法取当时之士，犹察伯乐之图，求骐骥于市，而不可得，亦已明矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

Jīn bù xún bó zhě zhī dào, nǎi yù yǐ sāndài xuǎnjǔ zhī fǎ qǔ dāngshí zhī shì, yóu chá bóyuè zhī tú, qiú qíjì yú shì, ér bùkě dé, yì yǐ míng yǐ. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): àntúsuǒjì

(Zhuyin): ㄢˋ ㄊㄨˊ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄐㄧˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): on³ tou⁴ saak³ kei³, on³ tou⁴ sok³ kei³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: àntúsuǒjì
  - Zhuyin: ㄢˋ ㄊㄨˊ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄐㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: àntúsuǒjì
  - Wade–Giles: an⁴-tʻu²-so³-chi⁴
  - Yale: àn-tú-swǒ-jì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: anntwusuoojih
  - Palladius: аньтусоцзи (anʹtusoczi)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀän⁵¹ tʰu³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: on³ tou⁴ saak³ kei³, on³ tou⁴ sok³ kei³
  - Yale: on tòuh saak kei, on tòuh sok kei
  - Cantonese Pinyin: on³ tou⁴ saak⁸ kei³, on³ tou⁴ sok⁸ kei³
  - Guangdong Romanization: on³ tou⁴ sag³ kéi³, on³ tou⁴ sog³ kéi³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɔːn³³ tʰou̯²¹ saːk̚³ kʰei̯³³/, /ɔːn³³ tʰou̯²¹ sɔːk̚³ kʰei̯³³/

Idiom

按圖索驥

(figurative, derogatory) to do things along rigid, conventional lines
(figurative) to try and find something with the help of a clue

References

“Entry #148026”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.

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