can be counted on one's fingers(qū zhǐ kě shǔ)

can be counted on one's fingers

It is a Chinese idiom with the pronunciation of Q ū zh ǐ K ě sh ǔ. It means that you can count clearly by pulling your fingers. It describes the scarcity of quantity. It's from "the memory of yesterday and Zhang Xi".

The origin of Idioms

Han Yu's poem "recalling yesterday and Zhang Xi Yi" says: "since I died in spring, I feel pity for my baby for several days." Ouyang Xiu, Song Dynasty, wrote in Ji Gu Lu Ba Wei · Tang an Gong Mei Zheng song: "there are only three or four scholars who are prosperous in modern literature. We can't do anything, but we can't do it. "

Analysis of Idioms

There are only a few synonyms, but also a few antonyms

Idiom usage

There are only a few items left in China's national industry! Mao Dun's midnight II

Idioms and allusions

Zhang Ying, a native of Hejian, was a famous general of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period. Throughout his military life, Zhang Ying was famous for his skillful use of troops, good command of barracks and good command of terrain. During the reign of Wei Ming emperor, Zhang Ying was appointed as the governor to supervise the armies in Guanzhong. At that time, Sima Yi managed the water army in Jingzhou and planned to enter the Yangtze River along the mianshui River to fight against the eastern Wu Dynasty. Cao Rui issued an imperial edict and ordered Zhang Ying to command the troops in Guanzhong under the command of Sima Yi. When Zhang Ying arrived in Jingzhou, it was just in winter when the water was shallow and the ship couldn't move, so he went back to Fangcheng and stationed there. In 229 ad (the third year of Taihe), Zhuge Liang went out of Qishan again and launched a fierce attack on Chencang. Cao Rui sent a post horse to call Zhang Ying to the capital, and personally went to Henan county to set up a banquet to see him off. Cao Rui sent 30000 soldiers and warriors from Wuwei and Huben battalions to protect Zhang Ying. He also asked anxiously, "when the general arrives at the front line, will Zhuge Liang have occupied Chencang?" But Zhang Ying knew that Zhuge Liang would not carry too much food and grass, and could not attack for a long time, so he replied: "it is estimated that Zhuge Liang has withdrawn before he arrived at the front line. According to Chen Quzhi's calculation, Zhuge Liang's grain and grass will not last ten days. " Sure enough, when Zhang Ying arrived in Nanzheng, Zhuge Liang withdrew. later, the idiom "a few fingers" evolved from here to describe a small number.

Chinese PinYin : qū zhǐ kě shǔ