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前倨後恭

简前倨后恭 · 繁前倨後恭

Mandarin · pinyin qián jù hòu gōng

to switch from arrogance to deference (idiom)

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Characters in this entry

前: qián · in front, forward; preceding
倨: jù · arrogant, haughty, rude
後: hòu · behind, rear, after; descendents
恭: gōng · respectful, polite, reverent
后: hòu · queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after

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

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Mandarin tones

2–4–4–1 · qian2 ju4 hou4 gong1

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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.

前倨後恭 · find source passages ↗ · 前倨后恭 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

cin4 geoi3 hau6 gung1

Cantonese word readings for 前倨後恭. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to change from arrogance to humility (describing behaviour of snobbish people)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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