DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

當斷則斷

简当断则断 · 繁當斷則斷

Mandarin · pinyin dāng duàn zé duàn

to make a decision when it's time to decide

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

當: dāng · bear, accept, undertake; just
斷: Look up this written character
則: Look up this written character
当: dāng · bear, accept, undertake; just
断: duàn · sever, cut off; interrupt
则: zé · rule, law, regulation; grades

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

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

1–4–2–4 · dang1 duan4 ze2 duan4

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

4character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

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.

當斷則斷 · find source passages ↗ · 当断则断 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

dong1 dyun3 zak1 dyun3

Cantonese word readings for 當斷則斷. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack