Helping you learn Chinese for free is our aim. This idiom and proverb series offers phrases with great depth and versatility. Let’s look at 「五鬥折腰」 and how to use it.
We’re presenting the idiom 「五鬥折腰」 this time—its explanation and use are detailed below.
Five dou: five dou of rice, referring to the meager official salary; bend over: bend over to salute. Kneeling before superiors for a meagre salary.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
wǔ dòu shé yāo
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
ng5 dau3 jit3 yiu1
Chinese idioms encompass an enormous variety, each rich in its meanings and uses. We’ve compiled these resources to support your efforts in learning the language.
