萬事俱備，只欠東風

Chinese
all; everything complete
 
only; merely; just
only; merely; just; but
 
deficient; owe; to lack
deficient; owe; to lack; yawn
 easterly; spring wind
trad. (萬事俱備，只欠東風) 萬事 俱備 ， 只 欠 東風
simp. (万事俱备，只欠东风) 万事 俱备 ， 只 欠 东风
Literally: “All things are ready except for the easternly wind.”

Etymology

From the Romance of Three Kingdoms:

孔明索紙筆，屏退左右，密書十六字曰：「欲破曹公，宜用火攻；萬事俱備，只欠東風。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
孔明索纸笔，屏退左右，密书十六字曰：「欲破曹公，宜用火攻；万事俱备，只欠东风。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14th century CE
Kǒngmíng suǒ zhǐbǐ, píngtuì zuǒyòu, mì shū shíliù zì yuē: “Yù pò Cáo gōng, yí yòng huǒgōng; wànshì jù bèi, zhǐ qiàn dōngfēng.” [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): wànshì jùbèi, zhǐ qiàn dōngfēng
    (Zhuyin): ㄨㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄐㄩˋ ㄅㄟˋ , ㄓˇ ㄑㄧㄢˋ ㄉㄨㄥ ㄈㄥ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): maan6 si6 keoi1 bei6, zi2 him3 dung1 fung1
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: wànshì jùbèi, zhǐ qiàn dōngfēng
      • Zhuyin: ㄨㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄐㄩˋ ㄅㄟˋ , ㄓˇ ㄑㄧㄢˋ ㄉㄨㄥ ㄈㄥ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: wànshìh jyùbèi, jhǐh ciàn dongfong
      • Wade–Giles: wan4-shih4 chü4-pei4, chih3 chʻien4 tung1-fêng1
      • Yale: wàn-shr̀ jyù-bèi-, jř chyàn dūng-fēng
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wannshyh jiuhbey, jyy chiann dongfeng
      • Palladius: ваньши цзюйбэй, чжи цянь дунфэн (vanʹši czjujbɛj, čži cjanʹ dunfɛn)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕy⁵¹⁻⁵³ peɪ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵¹ tʊŋ⁵⁵ fɤŋ⁵⁵/
  • Cantonese

Idiom

萬事俱備，只欠東風

  1. Everything is ready except for one last crucial item.
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