绠短汲深 — “Short rope to draw from a deep well”
绠短汲深 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to have inadequate ability or capacity for a difficult or profound task; to be out of one's depth, like using a short rope to draw water from a deep well”. Literally, “short rope to draw from a deep well”.
绠短汲深 Pronunciation and Pinyin
绠短汲深 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 绠短汲深
Origin and Story of 绠短汲深
During the Spring and Autumn period, Yan Yuan, a disciple of Confucius, journeyed from the State of Lu to the State of Qi, planning to discuss grand principles of governance with the Marquis of Qi.
Confucius was worried. Zigong, another disciple, asked why.
Confucius replied, "I recall a saying by Guan Zi: 'A small purse cannot hold much, and a short rope cannot draw from a deep well.' One must analyze specific problems with specific methods, and Yan Yuan would find this difficult to do."
Idioms Related to 绠短汲深
Synonyms of 绠短汲深
Antonyms of 绠短汲深
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Open the tool →Questions about 绠短汲深
What does 绠短汲深 mean?
绠短汲深 (gěng duǎn jí shēn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to have inadequate ability or capacity for a difficult or profound task; to be out of one's depth, like using a short rope to draw water from a deep well”.
How do you pronounce 绠短汲深?
绠短汲深 is pronounced gěng duǎn jí shēn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 绠短汲深 literally mean?
Literally, 绠短汲深 means “short rope to draw from a deep well”. It is used to mean “to have inadequate ability or capacity for a difficult or profound task; to be out of one's depth, like using a short rope to draw water from a deep well”.
Where does 绠短汲深 come from?
绠短汲深 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 绠短汲深?
绠：汲水用的绳子；汲：从井里打水。吊桶的绳子短，打不了深井里的水。比喻能力薄弱，难以担任艰巨的任务。