📖 Meaning
A traditional Chinese system for designating the birth order among brothers: bo (伯) is the eldest, zhong (仲) is the second, shu (叔) is the third, and ji (季) is the youngest. It is used to clearly distinguish siblings by seniority.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Zuo Zhuan (左传), a historical text compiled by Zuo Qiuming of the pre-Qin period. In the twenty-sixth year of Duke Zhao's reign, the text records the line '亦唯伯仲叔季图之,' referencing the four birth-order terms used to organize brothers. These designations were a standard convention in ancient China for naming and ranking male siblings within a family.
💡 Example Usage
古代兄弟排行用伯仲叔季区分长幼，一目了然。
In ancient times, brothers were ranked using the bo-zhong-shu-ji system to distinguish elder from younger, making the order clear at a glance.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 伯仲叔季
- Pinyin: bó zhòng shū jì
- Literal Translation: eldest, second, third, youngest
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4