艱
jian1Mathews: 0834GSR: 480c
Dictionary Definition
(to be) difficult, troublesome, distressing, hard, laborious, tedious, wearisome, hard gotten, trying; (a, the) difficulty, distress, hardship, trouble, trial, problem (s); bad news
Radical: 138+10 | First occurrence: Hexagram 11.3
Concordance & Context (9 occurrences)
Entries shown in Hatcher's reference chain order. First Witness at 11.3
3rd Line★
(it is) difficult, hard; (a) problem, hardship
無平不陂，無往不復。艱贞無咎，勿恤其孚，于食有福。
There is no level without a slope,
No going without a return
It is difficult to persist with no errors
Do not worry: these are certainties
In nourishment find happiness
Stats: 138+10→ 14.1
1st Line
(this) (is) difficult(y), (a) hard(ship); tedious
無交害，匪咎。艱則無咎。
Having no commerce with trouble
To never be wrong
A hardship, but otherwise not a mistake
→ 21.4
4th Line
difficult, hard, laborious, wearying, trying "
噬乾胏，得金矢，利艱贞，吉。
Biting on dry, bony meat
Securing funding and arrows
Warranting difficult persistence
Promising
→ 26.3
3rd Line
difficult, hard, laborious, wearying "
良馬逐，利艱贞。日閑輿衞，利有攸往。
A fine horse gives chase
Warranting difficult persistence
Daily* training at chariot and defense
Worthwhile to have somewhere to go
→ 34.6
6th Line
(but, yet) difficulty, problem, trouble, trial (s)
羝羊触藩，不能退，不能遂。無攸利，艱則吉。
The billy goat butts the hedge
No power to pull back
No power to follow through
Not a direction with merit
But problems give rise to opportunities
→ 36.0
Gua Ci
difficult, hard, laborious, wearying "
明夷，利艱贞。
Warranting difficult persistence
→ 11.3
Xiao Xiang 4
difficult
利艱贞吉，未光也。
21.4x Rewarding difficult persistence (with) promise:
Still an unknown
Xiao Xiang 6
problems
不能退，不能遂，不詳。艱則吉，咎不長。
34.6x No power to pull back,
No power to follow through:
Not examining details
* Problems give rise to opportunities:
The error does not last long
Tuan Zhuan
difficult
明入地中，明夷。內文明而外柔順，以蒙大難，文王以之。利艱贞，晦其明，內難而能正其志，箕子以之。
The light goes within (to) the heart of the earth
Brightness (is) obscured
Inwardly coherent (and) bright while outwardly flexible (and) compliant
Using the obscurity (of) great trials
The Sovereign Wen applied this
Warranting difficult persistence:
Darkening his own light
Inwardly struggling, yet able to stay true to his purpose
Prince Ji applied this
Homophones (jian)
堅jian1solid, firm, hard, hardened, solidified兼jian1combine, unite, join (ed, ing), [integrating ]戔jian1(is) (a, but a) meager, shabby, pitiful, scanty蹇jian3(a, an, the) impasse, obstacle, impediment, drawback, setback, obstruction, difficulty, misfortune, fault, holdup, detour, limp, complication, handicap; (to) go lame, limp, walk lame, stumble (s, ed ing); (to be) halting, hobbled, proud, arrogant, impassable, obstructed, complicated, set back, held up, detained, deterred, interrupted; defective儉jian3(is) restrained, frugal; conserves, reserves建jian4to enlist, appoint, install, establish, set up "健jian4(to be) vigorous, dynamic, ardent, strong, robust, healthy, sturdy, stout, tenacious, compelling, lasting, constant; (a, the) strength, lasting vigor, health, robustness; (to) set up, establish, persevere, invigorate, strengthen, empower (s, ed, ing); inexhaustibly, energetically, with lasting vigor鍵jian4key, note; linch-pin; perhaps u.f. jian 0854, (glossary)見jian4(to) catch sight of, envision, look at, observe, perceive, see, spy, view, visualize, watch, witness; apprehend, be exposed to, call upon, consult, encounter, experience, have audience with, interview, meet (with), notice, receive, refer to, visit; appear, appear to be show up; display, reveal, exhibit, flaunt, manifest, show (s, ed, ing); (a, the) consciousness; sight, vision, advice respectfully sought; (to be) exposed (to), found, in view (of), seen, viewed, visible; consciously賤jian4(and) (the) disregarded, undervalued, base, mean薦jian4(in) offering (^ ) (up) (^ ), presenting, giving漸jian4(to) advance gradually, increasingly, advance by degrees, go little by little, go bit by bit, go steadily, make gradual progress, make steady progress, pace oneself, progress gradually, develop into; seep into, soak, saturate (s, ed, ing); (a, the) proceedings, formalities, details, protocol, patient progress, (gradual, steady) advance, progress; (to be) next, slight; gradually, increasingly洊jian4(is, are) ever, always, continuously (flowing)
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