溫言在口,大棒在手

Chinese

(luke)warm; to review
 
to speak; to say; talk
to speak; to say; talk; word
 
(located) at; in; exist
(located) at; in; exist; (before verbs) immediately involved in; right in the middle of doing
mouth; (a measure word, for people, livestock or utensils)
 
big; great; huge
big; great; huge; large; major; wide; deep; oldest; eldest; doctor
 
a stick; club or cudgel; smart
a stick; club or cudgel; smart; capable; strong
 
(located) at; in; exist
(located) at; in; exist; (before verbs) immediately involved in; right in the middle of doing
hand; convenient; ‑er
trad. (溫言在口,大棒在手)
simp. (温言在口,大棒在手)
Literally:gentle words in mouth, big stick on hand”.

Etymology

Calque of English speak softly and carry a big stick.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): wēnyán zài kǒu, dàbàng zài shǒu
    (Zhuyin): ㄨㄣ ㄧㄢˊ ㄗㄞˋ ㄎㄡˇ , ㄉㄚˋ ㄅㄤˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄕㄡˇ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): wan1 jin4 zoi6 hau2, daai6 paang5 zoi6 sau2

  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: wēnyán zài kǒu, dàbàng zài shǒu
      • Zhuyin: ㄨㄣ ㄧㄢˊ ㄗㄞˋ ㄎㄡˇ , ㄉㄚˋ ㄅㄤˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄕㄡˇ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: wunyán zài kǒu, dàbàng zài shǒu
      • Wade–Giles: wên1-yen2 tsai4 kʻou3, ta4-pang4 tsai4 shou3
      • Yale: wēn-yán dzài kǒu-, dà-bàng dzài shǒu
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: uenyan tzay koou, dahbanq tzay shoou
      • Palladius: вэньянь цзай коу, дабан цзай шоу (vɛnʹjanʹ czaj kou, daban czaj šou)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /wən⁵⁵ jɛn³⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹⁻⁵³ pɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
  • Cantonese

Proverb

溫言在口,大棒在手

  1. speak softly and carry a big stick
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