DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

上緊發條

简上紧发条 · 繁上緊發條

Mandarin · pinyin shàng jǐn fā tiáo

to wind the spring up tight
(fig.) to gear up; to ready oneself

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Characters in this entry

上: shàng · top; superior, highest; go up, send up
緊: Look up this written character
發: fā · issue, dispatch, send out, emit
條: tiáo · clause, condition; string, stripe
紧: jǐn · tense, tight, taut; firm, secure
发: fā · issue, dispatch, send out; hair
条: tiáo · clause, condition; string, stripe

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–3–1–2 · shang4 jin3 fa1 tiao2

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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