constellation; empty reputation; fingerprint
Meanings
3 senses · 7 examplesnoun
constellation; stars (specifically the Winnowing Basket and Dipper asterisms)
literaryA classical, literary term referring to two specific star patterns, often used poetically to refer to stars in general.
Looking up at the night sky, one can see the bright stars (Winnowing Basket and Dipper).
In poetry, '箕斗' is often used to refer to stars.
noun
a metaphor for something that is in name only; empty title; useless reputation
literaryThis meaning originates from a verse in the 《诗经》 (Book of Songs) which describes the Winnowing Basket (箕) that cannot winnow and the Dipper (斗) that cannot ladle wine, thus symbolizing uselessness.
His professorship is just an empty title, with no real talent or learning.
Do not pursue empty reputations like the Winnowing Basket and Dipper.
noun
fingerprint (specifically the whorl and loop patterns)
formalIn this context, '箕' refers to loop-type fingerprint patterns and '斗' refers to whorl-type patterns. This is a technical term used in forensics or traditional identification.
The police collected the suspect's fingerprints for comparison.
This document requires verification of fingerprints.
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Everyone's fingerprint patterns are unique.