韦编三绝
韦编三绝 (wéi biān sān jué) literally means “leather binding breaks three times” and expresses “diligent, repeated study”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: wei bian san jue, wei bian san jue,韦编三绝 meaning, 韦编三绝 in english
Diligent, repeated study
Pronunciation: wéi biān sān jué Literal meaning: Leather binding breaks three times
Origin & Usage
Books in Confucius's day were bamboo slips strung together with leather (韦) thongs. The Records of the Grand Historian says that in his later years he so loved the Book of Changes that the thongs binding (编) his copy wore through and snapped (绝) three (三) separate times, and that he remarked he would master the book if granted a few more years. The image is precise about what devotion looked like before paper: not a note in a margin but a volume physically destroyed by rereading. It is reserved for study pursued to that depth, and stays closer to high praise than to an everyday compliment.
Examples
English: "His copy of the textbook had lost its spine from constant rereading"
Chinese: 他那本教科书翻得书脊都散了
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
举一反三
jǔ yī fǎn sān
Learn many from one example
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三思而行
sān sī ér xíng
Weigh it before you move
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三省吾身
sān xǐng wú shēn
Self-reflect daily
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滔滔不绝
tāo tāo bù jué
Talk endlessly; speak at great length
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三阳开泰
sān yáng kāi tài
A fortunate new beginning
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三令五申
sān lìng wǔ shēn
Repeated, unmistakable instruction
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三十而立
sān shí ér lì
Establish maturity
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温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 韦编三绝 mean in English?
韦编三绝 (wéi biān sān jué) literally translates to “Leather binding breaks three times” and is used to express “Diligent, repeated study”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 韦编三绝 used?
Situation: His copy of the textbook had lost its spine from constant rereading
What is the pinyin for 韦编三绝?
The pinyin pronunciation for 韦编三绝 is “wéi biān sān jué”.