old river name; metaphor for boundary not to be crossed
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
an ancient river name
literaryLocated in present-day Wangjiang County, Anhui Province. Primarily of historical and literary reference.
Léi雷
chí池
shì是
ān安
huī徽
de的
gǔ古
dì地
míng名
。
Leichi is an ancient place name in Anhui.
Gǔ古
jí籍
zhōng中
jì记
zǎi载
le了
Léi雷
chí池
de的
wèi位
zhì置
。
Ancient texts recorded the location of Leichi.
noun
boundary not to be crossed; limit (figurative)
formalUsed exclusively in the idiom '不敢越雷池一步' (bù gǎn yuè Léichí yī bù). It originates from a historical letter where Yu Liang warned Wen Qiao not to cross the Leichi River to come to the capital.
Tā他
zuò做
shì事
jǐn谨
shèn慎
，
cóng从
lái来
bù不
gǎn敢
yuè越
Léi雷
chí池
yī一
bù步
。
He is very cautious in his work and never dares to cross the line.
Gōng公
sī司
de的
guī规
dìng定
jiù就
shì是
Léi雷
chí池
，
shéi谁
yě也
bù不
néng能
wéi违
fǎn反
。
The company's rules are the boundary that no one can violate.
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Zài在
yuán原
zé则
wèn问
tí题
shàng上
，
wǒ我
men们
bì必
xū须
shǒu守
zhù住
Léi雷
chí池
。
On matters of principle, we must hold the line.