defecate; relieve oneself
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to defecate; to empty one's bowels
literaryLiterary euphemism for defecation. In classical texts, 矢 (arrow) is used as a homophone for 屎 (excrement). Commonly appears in historical anecdotes, most famously regarding the elderly general Lian Po (廉颇).
《
Shǐ史
jì记
》
jì记
zǎi载
，
Lián廉
Pō颇
nián年
lǎo老
shí时
，
"
qǐng顷
zhī之
sān三
yí遗
shǐ矢
yǐ矣
"
。
The Records of the Grand Historian notes that when Lian Po was old, "he relieved himself three times in a short while."
Wén文
yán言
wén文
zhōng中
cháng常
yòng用
"
yí遗
shǐ矢
"
lái来
dài代
tì替
sú俗
yǔ语
"
lā拉
shǐ屎
"
，
yǐ以
shì示
wén文
yǎ雅
。
Classical texts often use 'relieve oneself' instead of the colloquial 'shit' to show refinement.
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Zhè这
pǐ匹
mǎ马
bìng病
le了
，
yí遗
shǐ矢
bù不
zhǐ止
，
xū需
yào要
qǐng请
shòu兽
yī医
zhěn诊
zhì治
。
The horse is sick and has diarrhea that won't stop; we need to call a veterinarian.