江湖 (Jiāng hú) — (figurative) the world of martial arts wanderers and outlaws; the alternative society or 'underworld'; (literary) rivers and lakes; (by extension) the far corners of the country
Definition
Literally 'rivers and lakes', in classical and wuxia usage it refers to the wandering world of martial artists, outlaws, and the unwritten codes of that sub-society — a sense not captured by a literal translation.
noun
(figurative) the world of martial arts wanderers and outlawsthe alternative society or 'underworld'(literary) rivers and lakes(by extension) the far corners of the country
Examples
- 江湖。Tā cóng xiǎo jiù mèng xiǎng chuǎng dàng Jiāng hú.He has dreamed of roaming the jianghu since childhood.
- 江湖。Jiāng hú Shàng yǒu hěn duō bù chéng wén de guī ju.There are many unwritten rules in the jianghu.
- 江湖。Zhè piàn hú shuǐ ràng wǒ xiǎng qǐ gǔ shī cí zhōng de Jiāng hú.This lake reminds me of the 'rivers and lakes' in classical poetry.
Origin
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