📖 Meaning
A metaphor for collecting all valuable things, regardless of whether they are large or small. It conveys the idea of gathering every piece of goodness, even fragments of something precious. Used to describe thorough and comprehensive collection or preservation.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Tang dynasty treatise 'Shu Yi' (书议) by the calligrapher and scholar Zhang Huaiguan. He wrote that even a single hair of the qilin and phoenix, or a single piece of shell from the turtle and dragon, should all be recorded without omission. The turtle and dragon were revered as symbols of longevity and wisdom in ancient Chinese culture, so even a fragment of them was considered precious. The phrase thus came to represent the thorough collection of anything of value.
💡 Example Usage
这部文集搜罗宏富，龟龙片甲皆有所录。
This collected anthology is rich and comprehensive, recording even the smallest fragments of value.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 龟龙片甲
- Pinyin: guī lóng piàn jiǎ
- Literal Translation: turtle, dragon, piece, shell
- Category: Variety
- Characters: 4