鬼斧神工 (guǐ fǔ shén gōng) — (chengyu) uncanny workmanship; superlative craftsmanship that appears supernatural

Definition

A chengyu praising craftsmanship that looks so perfect it could only be made by ghosts and gods. Use for works of nature or art, not for ordinary skill.

idiom
(chengyu) uncanny workmanshipsuperlative craftsmanship that appears supernatural

Examples

  • 鬼斧神工，。
    Zhè zuò qiáo de shè jì zhēn shì guǐ fǔ shén gōng, lìng rén jīng tàn.
    The design of this bridge is truly uncanny workmanship, leaving people in awe.
  • 鬼斧神工。
    Gù gōng de jiàn zhù kān chēng guǐ fǔ shén gōng.
    The architecture of the Forbidden City can be called supernatural craftsmanship.
  • 鬼斧神工。
    Tā de diāo kè zuò pǐn dá dào le guǐ fǔ shén gōng de jìng jiè.
    His carving works have reached the realm of supernatural craftsmanship.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

鬼斧ghost axe
鬼guǐghost斧fǔaxe
偏正Modifier + head
神工divine work
神shénspirit工gōngwork
偏正Modifier + head

鬼 ghost with 斧 axe and 神 spirit with 工 work suggest uncanny craftsmanship.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

鬼 originally drew a kneeling figure with an ugly face, perhaps a mask; the small lower right dot is a later added tail.

Open 鬼 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù斧fǔ
Same sound today

斧 combines 斤, an axe, with 父, which gives the sound.

Open 斧 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.

Open 工 →

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