秋後算賬

Chinese

	autumn; fall; harvest time autumn; fall; harvest time; a swing	back; behind; rear back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later	to do accounts; to balance the books; to make out the bills
trad. (秋後算賬)	秋	後	算賬
simp. (秋后算账)	秋	后	算账
alternative forms	秋後算帳／秋后算帐
Literally: “settling accounts after the autumn harvest”.

Etymology

From the historical judicial practice where less-serious prisoners on death row would not be executed immediately after sentencing, but during autumn.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): qiūhòusuànzhàng

(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄡㄏㄡˋ ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄓㄤˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): cau¹ hau⁶ syun³ zoeng³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qiūhòusuànzhàng
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄡㄏㄡˋ ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄓㄤˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ciouhòusuànjhàng
  - Wade–Giles: chʻiu¹-hou⁴-suan⁴-chang⁴
  - Yale: chyōu-hòu-swàn-jàng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chiouhowsuannjanq
  - Palladius: цюхоусуаньчжан (cjuxousuanʹčžan)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ su̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: cau¹ hau⁶ syun³ zoeng³
  - Yale: chāu hauh syun jeung
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsau¹ hau⁶ syn³ dzoeng³
  - Guangdong Romanization: ceo¹ heo⁶ xun³ zêng³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɐu̯⁵⁵ hɐu̯²² syːn³³ t͡sœːŋ³³/

Idiom

秋後算賬

to wait until the time is ripe to settle accounts, to bide time for revenge
to get revenge after a matter is over

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