尺有所短，寸有所長

Chinese
 
a Chinese foot (M); one-third of a metre; a ruler
a Chinese foot (M); one-third of a metre; a ruler; a note musical note on traditional Chinese scale
 
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 actually; place; (nominalization prefix) lack; short a unit of length
 
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 actually; place; (nominalization prefix)
 
long; length; forever
long; length; forever; always; constantly; chief; head; elder; to grow; to develop
trad. (尺有所短，寸有所長) 尺 有 所 短 ， 寸 有 所 長
simp. (尺有所短，寸有所长) 尺 有 所 短 ， 寸 有 所 长

Etymology

From Chuci:

夫尺有所短，寸有所長，物有所不足，智有所不明，數有所不逮，神有所不通。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
夫尺有所短，寸有所长，物有所不足，智有所不明，数有所不逮，神有所不通。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Verses of Chu, 4th century BCE – 2nd century CE
Fū chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng, wù yǒu suǒ bùzú, zhì yǒu suǒ bùmíng, shù yǒusuǒ bùdài, shén yǒusuǒ bùtōng. [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng
    (Zhuyin): ㄔˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄉㄨㄢˇ , ㄘㄨㄣˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄔㄤˊ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): cek3 jau5 so2 dyun2, cyun3 jau5 so2 coeng4
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng [Phonetic: chíyóusuóduǎn,cùnyóusuǒcháng]
      • Zhuyin: ㄔˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄉㄨㄢˇ , ㄘㄨㄣˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄔㄤˊ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: chǐh yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng
      • Wade–Giles: chʻih3 yu3 so3 tuan3, tsʻun4 yu3 so3 chʻang2
      • Yale: chř yǒu swǒ dwǎn-, tswùn yǒu swǒ cháng
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chyy yeou suoo doan, tsuenn yeou suoo charng
      • Palladius: чи ю со дуань, цунь ю со чан (či ju so duanʹ, cunʹ ju so čan)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰu̯ən⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ³⁵/
  • Cantonese

Proverb

尺有所短，寸有所長

  1. everyone has their strengths and weaknesses
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