📖 Meaning
Refers to fragmented and incomplete anecdotal writings and minor incidents. It describes scattered literary fragments and trivial historical accounts that survive only in pieces.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from the 'Book of Song' (宋书·志序), compiled by Shen Yue of the Southern Dynasties (Liu Song, 5th century). The preface discusses how the great historian Sima Qian created his own distinctive historical framework, establishing the 'Eight Treatises' (八书) alongside annals and biographies to cover matters of ritual, law, and governance that were not fully addressed elsewhere. The phrase notes that even fragmentary writings and minor incidents were comprehensively recorded, leaving nothing overlooked.
💡 Example Usage
这部笔记中保存了不少前朝的片文只事，弥足珍贵。
This collection of notes preserves many fragmentary writings and minor anecdotes from previous dynasties, making it exceptionally valuable.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 片文只事
- Pinyin: piàn wén zhī shì
- Literal Translation: fragment, writing, single, matter
- Category: Knowledge
- Characters: 4