操斧伐柯
cāo​fǔ​fá​kē

to follow an existing pattern

  • created reference approved 操斧伐柯 → 伐柯 (see) — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    操斧伐柯 cāo​fǔ​fá​kē

    伐柯 fá​kē

    see

    Changed: source (simp), source (trad), source pinyin, target (simp), target (trad), target pinyin, type

    created reference

  • created sense approved 操斧伐柯 · cāo​fǔ​fá​kē · to follow an existing pattern — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    操斧伐柯

    cāo​fǔ​fá​kē

    to follow an existing pattern

    Literally meaning to hold an ax to cut an ax handle, from the Book of Songs [[诗经|詩經|shi1 jing1]]; used to describe following a principle or using a nearby example as a model; can also refer to acting as a matchmaker

    操 (literal) → 操 · cāo · to hold 斧 (literal) → 斧 · fǔ · ax 伐柯 (literal) → 伐柯 · fá​kē · to cut wood for an axe handle

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense