Dictionary content from CC-CEDICT

断袖之癖

Word definition:

Usage Tips
Show Legend
Display Settings
Simplified
Pīnyīn
English Definition Add a new word to the dictionary Traditional
HSK
lit. cut sleeve (idiom); fig. euphemism for homosexuality, originating from History of Western Han 漢書|汉书: emperor Han Aidi (real name Liu Xin) was in bed with his lover Dong Xian, and had to attend a court audience that morning. Not wishing to awaken Dong Xian, who was sleeping with his head resting on the emperor's long robe sleeve, Aidi used a knife to cut off the lower half of his sleeve.

Character decomposition:

Show Legend
Display Settings
CharacterTot Str
Rad / Str
Mandarin
Pīnyīn
Unihan Definition
standalone and in compounds
Jyutping
Cantonese
Variant
Four corner
Cangjie
component searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *断* | 断* | *断
11画
sever, cut off; interrupt
2272.1
VDHML
splitcomponent searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *袖* | 袖* | *袖
10画
sleeve; put something in sleeve
3526.0
LLW
component searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *之* | 之* | *之
3画
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
3030.7
INO
splitcomponent searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *癖* | 癖* | *癖
18画
craving, weakness for; indigestion
0014.1
KSRJ

Word decomposition:

SimplifiedEnglish Definition
lit. cut sleeve (idiom); fig. euphemism for homosexuality, originating from History of Western Han 漢書|汉书: emperor Han Aidi (real name Liu Xin) was in bed with his lover Dong Xian, and had to attend a court audience that morning. Not wishing to awaken Dong Xian, who was sleeping with his head resting on the emperor's long robe sleeve, Aidi used a knife to cut off the lower half of his sleeve.
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *断* | 断* | *断
to break / to snap / to cut off / to give up or abstain from sth / to judge / (usu. used in the negative) absolutely / definitely / decidedly
homosexual / see 斷袖之癖|断袖之癖
 
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *袖* | 袖* | *袖
sleeve / to tuck inside one's sleeve
  
  zhī
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *之* | 之* | *之
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of ) / him / her / it
   
   
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *癖* | 癖* | *癖
habit / hobby