奸雄

See also: 姦雄

Chinese

		traitor	heroic; male
trad. (奸雄/姦雄)		奸/姦	雄
simp. (奸雄)		奸	雄

Etymology

From Xunzi:

聽其言則辭辯而無統，用其身則多詐而無功，上不足以順明王，下不足以和齊百姓，然而口舌之均，應唯則節，足以為奇偉偃卻之屬，夫是之謂姦人之雄。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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听其言则辞辩而无统，用其身则多诈而无功，上不足以顺明王，下不足以和齐百姓，然而口舌之均，应唯则节，足以为奇伟偃却之属，夫是之谓奸人之雄。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

Tīng qí yán zé cíbiàn ér wútǒng, yòng qí shēn zé duōzhà ér wúgōng, shàng bùzú yǐ shùn míngwáng, xià bùzú yǐ héqí bǎixìng, rán'ér kǒushé zhī jūn, yìng wéi zé jié, zú yǐwèi qíwěi yǎnquè zhī shǔ, fú shì zhī wèi jiānrén zhī xióng. [Pinyin]

With respect to yet another sort of person, if one listens to his words, his arguments are niggling and without unifying order. If one employs him, then he is full of deception and without accomplishment. Above, he is incapable of following the enlightened kings. Below, he is incapable of harmonizing the people. Nevertheless, the smoothness of his tongue is such that his chattering has a certain measure to it, so that he is capable of becoming one of those who engage in strange exaggerations and bold haughtiness—such a one is called the vile person’s hero.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jiānxióng

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄢ ㄒㄩㄥˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gaan¹ hung⁴
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): kan-hiông

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiānxióng
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄢ ㄒㄩㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiansyóng
    • Wade–Giles: chien¹-hsiung²
    • Yale: jyān-syúng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jianshyong
    • Palladius: цзяньсюн (czjanʹsjun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕi̯ʊŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: gaan¹ hung⁴
    • Yale: gāan hùhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gaan¹ hung⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: gan¹ hung⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaːn⁵⁵ hʊŋ²¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kan-hiông
    • Tâi-lô: kan-hiông
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kanhioong
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kan⁴⁴⁻²² hiɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kan³³ hiɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kan⁴⁴⁻²² hiɔŋ¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kan⁴⁴⁻³³ hiɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kan⁴⁴⁻³³ hiɔŋ²³/

Noun

奸雄

1. (literary) an intelligent person who is capable of using cunning and deceit

   • 此乃人之奸雄者也，不可以不除。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The School Sayings of Confucius, c. 206 BCE– 220 CE

     Cǐnǎi rén zhī jiānxióngzhě yě, bùkěyǐ bùchú. [Pinyin]

     This man is a champion of wile among men; he may not be left unpurged.

   • 子治世之能臣，亂世之奸雄也。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     子治世之能臣，乱世之奸雄也。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

     Zǐ zhìshì zhī néngchén, luànshì zhī jiānxióng yě. [Pinyin]

     You'll be an able minister in peace and a wily hero in chaos.

Adjective

奸雄

1. (Southern Min) cunning, deceitful and treacherous

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (奸雄):

• → Vietnamese: gian hùng (奸雄)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
奸	雄

Adjective

奸雄

1. chữ Hán form of gian hùng.