兹事体大

zī shì tǐ dà
Literal: "this, matter, importance, big"

📖 Meaning

This matter is of great importance and carries significant consequences. It is used to emphasize that something should not be taken lightly due to its substantial weight and implications.

📜 Origin Story

The phrase originates from the Han dynasty scholar Ban Gu's work 'Dian Yin' (典引), where he wrote '兹事体大而允,寤寐次于圣心.' Ban Gu was a prominent historian and poet of the Eastern Han dynasty, best known for compiling the 'Book of Han' (汉书). In this context, he was describing a matter of such gravity that it occupied the emperor's thoughts day and night, underscoring its profound significance to governance and state affairs.

💡 Example Usage

此次改革兹事体大,我们必须慎重考虑每一个细节。

This reform is a matter of great importance; we must carefully consider every detail.

🏷️ Category

➕ Similar Idioms

➖ Opposite Idioms

🔤 Quick Facts

  • Chinese: 兹事体大
  • Pinyin: zī shì tǐ dà
  • Literal Translation: this, matter, importance, big
  • Category: Status
  • Characters: 4