a rare chinese character - help?

[Riyue]

In daodejing 41 we have

大器晚成

an old version of 晚 is

http://www.zdic.net/zd/zi3/ZdicF0ZdicA3Zdic88Zdic87.htm (according to wenlin)

it breaks down to bu4 不 + ri4 日 + yue4 月--

i am looking for more informations about this rare character - quotes...

 

who can help?

[ChiDragon]

1. 晚: evening; late

 

 

2. it breaks down to bu4 不 + ri4 日 + yue4 月--

不明: not bright like in the evening.

 

This character seems not being used anymore.

[Lao Tzu]

maybe I can help, I am a chinese

can you make your question more clear?

[dawei]

Found it in a few places but always without any comment or info.

 

Note that the various manuscripts have different characters:

 

晚 - Wang Bi and Heshang Gong

 

晩 - Fu Yi

 

免 - Mawangdui B

 

曼 - Guodian

[ChiDragon]

I believe he was more concerned with this character as he cited below:

http://www.zdic.net/...dic88Zdic87.htm (according to wenlin)

it breaks down to bu4 不 + ri4 日 + yue4 月--

i am looking for more informations about this rare character - quotes...

 

who can help?

Edited December 21, 2011 by ChiDragon

[Lao Tzu]

I believe he was more concerned with this character as he cited below:

http://www.zdic.net/...dic88Zdic87.htm (according to wenlin)

it breaks down to bu4 不 + ri4 日 + yue4 月--

i am looking for more informations about this rare character - quotes...

 

who can help?

which character?

[ChiDragon]

Click the site in blue.

[Lao Tzu]

I don't think it is necessary to learn such a rare character.

[dawei]

I don't think it is necessary to learn such a rare character.

Did you actually ever see the character yourself or are you saying to just "forget about it" (I forget which movie that is from, but I think Donnie Brascoe). I saw it several times but have nothing to add to it's meaning.

[Lao Tzu]

Did you actually ever see the character yourself or are you saying to just "forget about it" (I forget which movie that is from, but I think Donnie Brascoe). I saw it several times but have nothing to add to it's meaning.

Yes, I did see it.

Yes, forget about it.

[Eric Woon]

It is illogical to break down more complex Chinese words into its various singular root words. For example, 晚 is supposed to be made up of 日  （Sun）and 免 （can help it as in 免不了）。晚, as used in 旁晚 means as the sun goes down in the evening, it just can't be help. Or as in  太晚了, it too late to make up for the error or loss, it just can't be help.      

[awaken]

各位在理解『大器晚成』這個成語，感覺有點奇怪，通常中文為母語的人不會這樣理解。

 

而且『晚』這個字很常見，屬於常用字。

 

晚安，晚上，昨晚，太晚

 

It's a bit strange for you to understand the idiom of "大器晚成", which is usually not understood by native Chinese speakers.

And the word "late" is very common and is a common word.

good night, night, last night, too late

 

 

「大器晚成」一語出於今本《老子》第四十一章，在這一章中，提到「道」的境界不易知、不易行，所以一般俗士聽到「道」，就大笑起來，就是因為它難以捉摸。為了解釋「道」，老子用「大方」、「大器」、「大音」、「大象」來作比喻。這些都是「道」的象徵。「道」是什麼？它就像最圓融的空間，根本不是人為角度所能衡量；它也像最貴重的器物，需要長時間製作，所以修道之人需要長時間的修練；它也像天籟般的聲音一樣，不是言語或樂器所能表現的；它也可以說是無形，不是人力所能覺察的。後來就從這裡演變出「大器晚成」這句成語，用來比喻卓越的人才，往往成就較晚。這是根據後世傳本的《老子》演變而出的一句成語，假如參考新發現的出土文獻，《郭店楚墓竹簡》收錄有《老子》一書，「大器晚成」作「大器曼成」，竹簡整理小認為「曼」當讀作「晚」，裘錫圭則懷疑此字當讀為「（慢）」。帛書本《老子》隸書本，則「大器晚成」作「大器免成」，意思是：「道」像最偉大的器物，不是人力所能製作的。這種意思和上下文的「大方無隅」、「大音希聲」、「大象無形」較能呼應。並附載於此，以供參考。https://pedia.cloud.edu.tw/Entry/Detail/?title=大器晚成

 

The phrase "大器晚成" comes from chapter 41 of this edition of Lao Tzu. In this chapter, it is mentioned that the realm of "Tao" is not easy to know and practice, so when ordinary laity hears "Tao", they burst into laughter. Just because it's elusive. In order to explain "Tao", Lao Tzu uses "Da Fang", "Great Instrument", "Great Sound" and "big image" as metaphors. These are all symbols of the Tao. What is "Dao"? It is like the most harmonious space, which cannot be measured by human perspectives at all; it is also like the most precious utensils, which takes a long time to make, so cultivators need a long time to practice; it is also like the sound of nature, it is not What words or instruments can express; it can also be said to be intangible, not detectable by human beings. Later, the idiom "大器晚成" evolved from here, which is used to describe outstanding talents who are often late in their achievements. This is an idiom evolved from the later version of "Lao Tzu". If you refer to the newly discovered unearthed documents, "Guodian Chu Tomb Bamboo Slips" contains the book "Lao Tzu", "Daqi Mancheng" as "Daqi Mancheng" , Bamboo slips organize a small thought that "man" should be read as "late", Qiu Xigui suspects that the word should be read as "(slow)". In the clerical script version of Laozi, the silk book, the "great wares are late blooming" as "great wares are free to become", which means: "Tao" is like the greatest utensil, which cannot be made by human beings. This kind of meaning is more compatible with the context of "big square without corners", "big sound and sound", and "big elephant without shape". and attached here for reference.

Edited March 31, 2022 by awaken