倾筐倒庋 — “To bring out everything one possesses”

倾筐倒庋 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to bring out everything one possesses”. To make a thorough search or display of all contents; to empty out all belongings. Literally, “Emptying baskets and overturning shelves”.

Frequency

倾筐倒庋 Pronunciation and Pinyin

倾筐倒庋 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
倾	qīng	10	lean, pour, devote completely
筐	kuāng	12	woven basket or container
倒	dào	10	fall, pour, invert, reverse
庋	guǐ	7	store valuable items

Example Sentence with 倾筐倒庋

为了寻找那份重要的旧信件，她几乎把整个书房都倾筐倒庋地翻找了一遍。

To find that important old letter, she almost emptied and thoroughly searched her entire study.

Origin and Story of 倾筐倒庋

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Chancellor Wang Dao acted as a matchmaker for Grand Commandant Xi Jian's daughter, proposing his nephew Wang Xizhi. Xi Jian personally visited Wang Xizhi's home to observe him. When asked, people pointed to Wang Xizhi, who was casually lying bare-bellied on the east bed.

Later, Xie An and Xie Wan often visited Xi Jian's residence. Xi Jian would '倾筐倒庋' (empty baskets and overturn shelves), bringing out all his finest possessions and delicacies to entertain them, showcasing his utmost hospitality. In contrast, he was rather cold and distant towards his two brothers-in-law, with whom he shared little common ground. This idiom vividly describes the act of bringing out all one's possessions or conducting an extremely thorough search.