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此事古难全

此事古難全
cǐshìgǔnánquán
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 this is something that has never been perfect, since ancient times
  2. 2 such things have always been hard to have in full
  3. 3 (lit.) this matter, from ancient times, hard to make whole

Examples

人生不如意十之八九，此事古难全，何必强求？
Rénshēng bù rúyì shí zhī bā jiǔ, cǐ shì gǔ nán quán, hébì qiǎngqiú?
Eight or nine things in ten don't go as we'd like — such things have never been whole; why force it?
亲人远隔，此事古难全，只能遥寄思念。
Qīnrén yuǎn gé, cǐ shì gǔ nán quán, zhǐ néng yáo jì sīniàn.
Loved ones separated by distance — it's always been so; all we can do is send our thoughts across the miles.

Tips

history
From Su Shi's (苏轼) Song-dynasty ci 《水调歌头·明月几时有》 (Prelude to Water Melody). Full passage: 『人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全』— 'people have sorrows and joys, partings and reunions; the moon has its dark and bright, its waxing and waning — such things have never been whole.' Written for the 1076 Mid-Autumn Festival while Su was separated from his brother Su Zhe.
usage
Said when resigning yourself to the inevitable imperfection of life — partings, missed chances, things that can't all line up. The tone is melancholy but accepting, not bitter.

Stroke Order

此 cǐ
事 shì
古 gǔ
难 nán
全 quán