郢书燕说
Yǐng shū Yān shuō
Pinyin

Definition

郢书燕说
 - 
Yǐng shū Yān shuō
  1. lit. Ying writes a letter and Yan reads it
  2. fig. to misinterpret the original meaning
  3. to pile up errors
  4. refers to the letter from capital 郢[Yǐng] of 楚[Chǔ] in which the inadvertent words "hold up the candle" are mistaken by the minister of 燕[Yān] as "promote the wise"

Character Decomposition

Related Words (20)

燕
Yān
  1. 1 Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in modern Hebei and Liaoning
  2. 2 north Hebei
  3. 3 the four Yan kingdoms of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Yan 前燕 (337-370), Later Yan 後燕|后燕 (384-409), Southern Yan 南燕 (398-410), Northern Yan 北燕 (409-436)
  4. 4 surname Yan
燕子
yàn zi
  1. 1 swallow
孙燕姿
Sūn Yàn zī
  1. 1 Stefanie Sun (1978-), Singaporean singer-songwriter
燕京
Yān jīng
  1. 1 Yanjing, an old name for Beijing
  2. 2 capital of Yan at different periods
燕尾蝶
yān wěi dié
  1. 1 swallow tail butterfly (family Papilionidae)
燕山
Yān shān
  1. 1 Yan mountain range across north Hebei
燕窝
yàn wō
  1. 1 edible bird's nest
燕赵
Yān Zhào
  1. 1 Yan and Zhao, two of the Warring States in Hebei and Shanxi
  2. 2 beautiful women
  3. 3 women dancers and singers
燕雀
yàn què
  1. 1 (bird species of China) brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
  2. 2 (fig.) small fry
燕麦
yàn mài
  1. 1 oats
燕麦粥
yàn mài zhōu
  1. 1 oatmeal
  2. 2 porridge
雨燕
yǔ yàn
  1. 1 swift
  2. 2 Apodidae (the swift family)
前燕
Qián Yān
  1. 1 Former Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (337-370)
劳燕分飞
láo yàn fēn fēi
  1. 1 the shrike and the swallow fly in different directions (idiom)
  2. 2 (usually of a couple) to part from each other
南燕
Nán Yān
  1. 1 Southern Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (398-410)
家燕
jiā yàn
  1. 1 (bird species of China) barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
新婚燕尔
xīn hūn yàn ěr
  1. 1 newlyweds
燕国
Yān guó
  1. 1 Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in modern Hebei and Liaoning
  2. 2 north Hebei
  3. 3 the four Yan kingdoms of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Yan 前燕 (337-370), Later Yan 後燕|后燕 (384-409), Southern Yan 南燕 (398-410), Northern Yan 北燕 (409-436)
燕尾服
yàn wěi fú
  1. 1 swallow-tailed coat
  2. 2 tails
身轻如燕
shēn qīng rú yàn
  1. 1 as lithe as a swallow (of athlete or beautiful girl)

Idioms (9)

来鸿去燕
lái hóng qù yàn
  1. 1 lit. the goose comes, the swallow goes (idiom); fig. always on the move
劳燕分飞
láo yàn fēn fēi
  1. 1 the shrike and the swallow fly in different directions (idiom)
  2. 2 (usually of a couple) to part from each other
燕子衔泥垒大窝
yàn zi xián ní lěi dà wō
  1. 1 the swallow's nest is built one beakful of mud at a time (idiom)
  2. 2 many a little makes a mickle
燕雀安知鸿鹄之志
yàn què ān zhī hóng hú zhī zhì
  1. 1 lit. can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan? (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. how can we small fry predict the ambitions of the great?
燕雀焉知鸿鹄之志
yàn què yān zhī hóng gǔ zhī zhì
  1. 1 lit. can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan? (idiom); fig. how can we small fry predict the ambitions of the great?
燕雀相贺
yàn què xiàng hè
  1. 1 lit. sparrow and swallow's congratulation (idiom); fig. to congratulate sb on completion of a building project
  2. 2 congratulations on your new house!
燕雀处堂
yàn què chù táng
  1. 1 lit. a caged bird in a pavilion (idiom); fig. to lose vigilance by comfortable living
  2. 2 unaware of the disasters ahead
  3. 3 a fool's paradise
处堂燕雀
chù táng yàn què
  1. 1 lit. a caged bird in a pavilion (idiom); fig. to lose vigilance by comfortable living
  2. 2 unaware of the disasters ahead
  3. 3 a fool's paradise
莺歌燕舞
yīng gē yàn wǔ
  1. 1 the warbler sings and the swallow dances
  2. 2 prosperity abounds (idiom)

Sample Sentences