擇木

See also: 择木

Chinese

		pick over; to select; to choose pick over; to select; to choose; to pick	tree; wood
trad. (擇木)		擇	木
simp. (择木)		择	木

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zémù

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zaak⁶ muk⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zémù
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zémù
    • Wade–Giles: tsê²-mu⁴
    • Yale: dzé-mù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzermuh
    • Palladius: цзэму (czɛmu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɤ³⁵ mu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zaak⁶ muk⁶
    • Yale: jaahk muhk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzaak⁹ muk⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: zag⁶ mug⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡saːk̚² mʊk̚²/

Verb

擇木

1. (literary) to choose one's own master

   • 良禽擇木而棲，賢臣擇主而事。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     良禽择木而栖，贤臣择主而事。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

     Liáng qín zémù ér qī, xiánchén zézhǔ'érshì. [Pinyin]

     A good bird chooses (for itself) the tree upon which to perch; the talented subject chooses (for himself) the lord that he shall serve.

Derived terms

• 擇木而處／择木而处
• 良禽擇木／良禽择木 (liángqínzémù)
• 良禽擇木而棲／良禽择木而栖 (liángqín zé mù ér qī)