逆鱗

Chinese
 
contrary; opposite; backwards
contrary; opposite; backwards; to go against; to oppose; to betray; to rebel
 scales (of fish)
trad. (逆鱗) 逆 鱗
simp. (逆鳞) 逆 鳞

Etymology

From Han Feizi, Chapter 12 (《韓非子·說難》):

夫龍之為虫也，柔可狎而騎也；然其喉下有逆鱗徑尺，若人有嬰之者，則必殺人。人主亦有逆鱗，說者能無嬰人主之逆鱗，則幾矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
夫龙之为虫也，柔可狎而骑也；然其喉下有逆鳞径尺，若人有婴之者，则必杀人。人主亦有逆鳞，说者能无婴人主之逆鳞，则几矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Han Feizi, circa 2nd century BCE
Fú lóng zhī wéi chóng yě, róu kě xiá ér qí yě; rán qí hóu xià yǒu nìlín jìng chǐ, ruò rén yǒu yīng zhī zhě, zé bì shārén. Rénzhǔ yì yǒu nìlín, shuì zhě néng wú yīng rénzhǔ zhī nìlín, zé jī yǐ. [Pinyin]
The dragon, being a creature, may be tamed, played with in close quarters, and even ridden. However, below its throat are the inverted scales, each spanning one chi. The dragon would kill anyone touching them. A prince of men has those inverted scales too. Persuaders might have a chance at success, provided that they can avoid touching the inverted scales of the prince.

Pronunciation

Rime
Character 逆 鱗
Reading # 1/1 1/1
Initial (聲) 疑 (31) 來 (37)
Final (韻) 陌 (115) 眞 (43)
Tone (調) Checked (Ø) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open Open
Division (等) III III
Fanqie 宜戟切 力珍切
Baxter ngjaek lin
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang		 /ŋˠiæk̚/ /liɪn/
Pan
Wuyun		 /ŋᵚiak̚/ /lin/
Shao
Rongfen		 /ŋiak̚/ /ljen/
Edwin
Pulleyblank		 /ŋiajk̚/ /lin/
Li
Rong		 /ŋiɐk̚/ /liĕn/
Wang
Li		 /ŋĭɐk̚/ /lĭĕn/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /ŋiɐk̚/ /li̯ĕn/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 yì lín
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex		 jik6 lan4
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 逆 鱗
Reading # 1/1 1/1
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)		 nì lín
Middle
Chinese		 ‹ ngjæk › ‹ lin ›
Old
Chinese		 /*ŋrak/ /*C.r[ə][n]/
English go against scale of fish or reptile

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 逆 鱗
Reading # 1/1 1/1
No. 9474 8202
Phonetic
component		 屰 粦
Rime
group		 鐸 眞
Rime
subdivision		 0 1
Corresponding
MC rime		 逆 㷠
Old
Chinese		 /*ŋraɡ/ /*rin/

Noun

逆鱗

  1. (figurative) personal grievance; trigger; pet peeve; taboo topic (especially that of a powerful person)

Descendants
Sino-Xenic (逆鱗):
  • → Japanese: 逆(げき)鱗(りん) (gekirin)
  • → Korean: 역린(逆鱗) (yeongnin)

See also

Japanese
Kanji in this term
逆 鱗
げき
Grade: 5		 りん
Jinmeiyō
on’yomi

Etymology

From the legend in Han Feizi of a scale (鱗) under a dragon's chin that grows backwards (逆) and causes the dragon to enter a fit of rage if touched.

Pronunciation
  • (Tokyo) げきりん [gèkíríń] (Heiban – [0])[1]
  • IPA(key): [ɡe̞kʲiɾʲĩɴ]

Noun

逆(げき)鱗(りん) • (gekirin) 

  1. the anger of a superior

Idioms
  • 逆鱗(げきりん)に触(ふ)れる (gekirin ni fureru)

References
  1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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