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蓋棺論定

简盖棺论定 · 繁蓋棺論定

Mandarin · pinyin gài guān lùn dìng

don't pass judgment on a person's life until the lid is on the coffin (idiom)

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Characters in this entry

蓋: Look up this written character
棺: guān · coffin
論: Look up this written character
定: dìng · decide, settle, fix
盖: gài · cover, hide, protect
论: lùn · debate; discuss; discourse

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

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Mandarin tones

4–1–4–4 · gai4 guan1 lun4 ding4

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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.

蓋棺論定 · find source passages ↗ · 盖棺论定 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

goi3 gun1 leon6 ding6

Cantonese word readings for 蓋棺論定. 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 judge the accomplishments and faults of a person after their death
(idiomatic) to reach a final decision or conclusion

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

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