Definition
锦囊 literally means 'silk bag' — a small ornate pouch used in ancient China to hold valuables or documents. But the word is most familiar from the idiom 锦囊妙计 (jǐn náng miào jì, 'wise advice in a silk bag'), based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms story where Zhuge Liang gave Zhao Yun sealed bags with strategies to open at critical moments. Today, 锦囊 can also be used metaphorically for 'a ready solution' or 'a clever plan', especially in 锦囊妙计 as a set phrase. The literal use is rare in modern conversation; you'll mostly encounter it in historical or figurative contexts.
n.
silk bag (historical: small ornate pouch for storing valuables or writings)(figurative) clever strategywise plan (usually in 锦囊妙计)
Examples
- 锦囊,。Tā dǎkāi jǐn nāng, qǔ chū le yì fēng xìn.He opened the silk bag and took out a letter.
- 锦囊。Zhège jǐn nāng miào jì ràng wǒmen shùnlì jiějué le nántí.This clever plan helped us solve the difficult problem smoothly.
- 锦囊。Lǎoshī gěi měi ge xuéshēng zhǔnbèi le yí ge xuéxí jǐn nāng.The teacher prepared a 'learning kit' of tips for each student.
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