







庚癸频呼 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to frequently and urgently ask others for financial assistance or provisions, often implying a state of dire need or desperation”.
During the Spring and Autumn period, King Fuchai of the State of Wu convened an alliance meeting with other states, including Jin and Lu. Shen Shuyi, a high-ranking official from Wu, needed to borrow military provisions from Gongsun Youhan of the State of Lu.
Since it was considered impolite or sensitive to ask directly for such aid, they resorted to using euphemisms and coded language. Gongsun Youhan replied, 'The fine grains are all exhausted, but we still have some coarse grains. When you are in need, ascend to a high place and call out loudly, "Geng Gui Hu!" Upon hearing that, we will know what you mean.'
This story explains the origin of 'Geng Gui' as a secret code for provisions and the 'frequently calling out' aspect, eventually leading to its meaning of asking for financial help.

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Open the tool →庚癸频呼 (gēng guǐ pín hū) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to frequently and urgently ask others for financial assistance or provisions, often implying a state of dire need or desperation”.
庚癸频呼 is pronounced gēng guǐ pín hū in Mandarin Chinese.
庚癸频呼 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
庚、癸:军粮的隐语。原是军中乞粮的隐语。后指向人借钱。