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週而復始

简周而复始 · 繁週而復始

Mandarin · pinyin zhōu ér fù shǐ

lit. the cycle comes back to the start (idiom); to move in circles
the wheel comes full circle

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Characters in this entry

週: zhōu · week; turn, cycle; anniversary
而: ér · and; and then; and yet; but; Kangxi radical 126
復: Look up this written character
始: shǐ · begin, start; then, only then
周: zhōu · Zhou dynasty; circumference
复: fù · return; repeat; repeatedly

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

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Mandarin tones

1–2–4–3 · zhou1 er2 fu4 shi3

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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.

週而復始 · find source passages ↗ · 周而复始 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources 2 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zau1 ji4 fau6 ci2 · zau1 ji4 fuk6 ci2

Cantonese word readings for 週而復始. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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