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想方設法

简想方设法 · 繁想方設法

Mandarin · pinyin xiǎng fāng shè fǎ

to think up every possible method (idiom); to devise ways and means
to try this, that and the other

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Characters in this entry

想: xiǎng · think, speculate, plan, consider
方: fāng · a square, rectangle; a region; local
設: Look up this written character
法: fǎ · law, rule, regulation, statute; France, French
设: shè · build; establish; display

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

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Mandarin tones

3–1–4–3 · xiang3 fang1 she4 fa3

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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.

想方設法 · find source passages ↗ · 想方设法 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

soeng2 fong1 cit3 faat3

Cantonese word readings for 想方設法. 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 do everything possible; to try anything one can think of

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

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