shout to clear the way
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to shout for pedestrians to make way (of runners clearing the path for officials in feudal times)
archaicHistorical term referring to the practice in imperial China where runners (差役) would walk ahead of an official's procession shouting orders for commoners to clear the street and make way.
Yá衙
yì役
zài在
qián前
mian面
hè喝
dào道
，
bǎi百
xìng姓
fēn纷
fēn纷
bì避
ràng让
。
The yamen runners shouted to clear the way ahead, and the common people hurried to make way.
Gǔ古
dài代
guān官
yuán员
chū出
xíng行
，
zǒng总
yǒu有
chāi差
yì役
míng鸣
luó锣
hè喝
dào道
。
When officials traveled in ancient times, there were always runners beating gongs and shouting to clear the path.
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Nà那
guān官
yuán员
zuò坐
zài在
jiào轿
zi子
lǐ里
，
zhǐ只
tīng听
wài外
mian面
hè喝
dào道
shēng声
bù不
duàn断
。
That official sat in the sedan chair, only hearing the continuous shouts of the runners clearing the way outside.