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枕石漱流

Mandarin · pinyin zhěn shí shù liú

to live a hermit's life (in seclusion)
a frugal life (idiom)

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Characters in this entry

枕: zhěn · pillow
石: shí · stone, rock, mineral; Kangxi radical 112
漱: shù · gargle, rinse; wash, scour
流: liú · flow, circulate, drift; class

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

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Mandarin tones

3–2–4–2 · zhen3 shi2 shu4 liu2

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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

(figurative) to live a secluded and pure life in harmony with nature (often used to describe the lifestyle of a hermit)

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

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