皮匠

píjiang

noun #32,409

Measure Word

一个皮匠 gè

Meanings

1 cobbler
2 leather-worker
3 shoemaker

Characters

Examples

巷口的老皮匠会修各种皮鞋。

Xiàngkǒu de lǎo píjiang huì xiū gèzhǒng píxié.

The old cobbler at the alley entrance can fix all kinds of leather shoes.

三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮。

Sān gè chòu píjiang, dǐng gè Zhūgě Liàng.

Three lousy cobblers together can match Zhuge Liang.

Tips

culture

The proverb 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮 ('three lousy cobblers equal one Zhuge Liang') is one of the most famous sayings in Chinese — meaning many ordinary minds together can outdo one genius. Note 皮匠 here may originally have been 裨将 (deputy general), reanalyzed by folk etymology into the homophone 皮匠.

Stroke Order

皮 pí

匠 jiàng