四
four
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
enclosure + 儿
Cultural Context
Etymology
Breath spreading in four directions from mouth. Or four fingers.
Symbolism
Four directions, four seasons, stability. Sometimes avoided due to homophone with 'death'.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
一天四海
いってんしかい
the world; the universe; the world
再三再四
さいさんさいし
repeatedly; repeatedly
三寒四温
さんかんしおん
alternation of three cold and four warm days (usu. in late winter and early spring); alternation of three cold and four warm days (usu. in late winter and early spring)
四苦八苦
しくはっく
being in dire distress; being hard put to it; being hard pressed (for money); being in dire distress
四通八達
しつうはったつ
traffic network extending in all directions; traffic network extending in all directions
四分五裂
しぶんごれつ
torn asunder; disrupted and disorganized; torn asunder
四方八方
しほうはっぽう
in all directions; in all directions
四面楚歌
しめんそか
being surrounded by enemies on all sides; being betrayed (forsaken) by everybody; being surrounded by enemies on all sides
四六時中
しろくじちゅう
around the clock; day and night; around the clock
朝三暮四
ちょうさんぼし
being preoccupied with immediate (superficial) differences without realizing that there are no differences in substance; six of one and half a dozen of another; being preoccupied with immediate (superficial) differences without realizing that there are no differences in substance
四角四面
しかくしめん
square; formal; prim; square
四百四病
しひゃくしびょう
every type of disease; every type of disease
四海同胞
しかいどうほう
universal brotherhood; universal brotherhood
四書五経
ししょごきょう
the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism; the Nine Chinese Classics; the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism
四海兄弟
しかいけいてい
people in the whole world being all brothers; universal brotherhood; people in the whole world being all brothers
四肢五体
ししごたい
the whole body; the whole body
四十不惑
しじゅうふわく
at age forty, one has no doubts; at age forty, one has no doubts
四神相応
しじんそうおう
an ideal topography for the four Taoist gods, with a river in the east, a broad avenue in the west, a basin in the south, and a hill in the north; an ideal topography for the four Taoist gods, with a river in the east, a broad avenue in the west, a basin in the south, and a hill in the north
張三李四
ちょうさんりし
the common run of men; the average Joe; good-for-nothing (person); the common run of men
四里四方
よりよほう
large area; four ri square (approx. 16 sq km); Edo; large area