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節哀順變

简节哀顺变 · 繁節哀順變

Mandarin · pinyin jié āi shùn biàn

(idiom) restrain one's grief and accept what has happened (expression of condolence)

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Characters in this entry

節: Look up this written character
哀: āi · sad, mournful, pitiful; pity
順: Look up this written character
變: Look up this written character
节: jié · knot, node, joint; section
顺: shùn · obey, submit to, go along with
变: biàn · change, transform, alter; rebel

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

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Mandarin tones

2–1–4–4 · jie2 ai1 shun4 bian4

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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.

節哀順變 · find source passages ↗ · 节哀顺变 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zit3 oi1 seon6 bin3

Cantonese word readings for 節哀順變. 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 restrain one's grief and accept fate (used to console family of a deceased person); my condolences

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

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