lose one's wife
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to lose one's wife (said of a husband)
literaryA classical Chinese metaphor derived from the "breaking of a zither string," with the zither (琴) and lute (瑟) symbolizing marital harmony. Used almost exclusively in formal or literary contexts.
Tā他
zhōng中
nián年
duàn断
xián弦
，
yī一
zhí直
wèi未
zài再
qǔ娶
。
He lost his wife in middle age and never remarried.
Gǔ古
rén人
yǐ以
duàn断
xián弦
、
xù续
xián弦
bǐ比
yù喻
sàng丧
qī妻
yǔ与
zài再
qǔ娶
。
The ancients used "breaking a string" and "re-stringing" as metaphors for losing a wife and remarrying.
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Duàn断
xián弦
zài再
xù续
，
qí其
qíng情
yì亦
jiān艰
。
Remarrying after losing a wife is an emotionally difficult process.