at sixes and sevens
Seven horizontal eight vertical, Chinese idiom, Pinyin is Q ī h é NGB ā sh ù, meaning some horizontal, some vertical, disorderly. It's messy. From the water margin.
Analysis of Idioms
[synonym] vertical and horizontal [antonym] neat
The origin of Idioms
The 34th chapter of Shi Naian's the complete story of the water margin in Ming Dynasty: "in a field of rubble, countless men and women were killed."
Idiom usage
As an attributive or adverbial; in disorder. The second and third chapter of the scholars written by Wu Jingzi of the Qing Dynasty: "on the main hall, there are many things falling down. In the courtyard, an old Taoist sits sewing his clothes." Zou Taofen's "message from a trace" May 9th: "they naturally sleep or fall on a large deck covered by sunlight." The shelves are full of books, but they are piled up. There are countless tripods of Shang, Yi and Zhou on the table, which are colorful in ancient times. (Chapter 11 of Zeng Pu's the flowers of the evil sea in Qing Dynasty)
Chinese PinYin : qī héng bā shù
at sixes and sevens
the three cardinal guides and the five constant virtues as specified in the feudal ethical code. sān gāng wǔ cháng
shut one 's door and reflect on one 's misdeeds. bì gé sī guò
about some insignificant matters. zhēng cháng jìng duǎn