色字头上一把刀
Traditional form:
色字頭上一把刀
Pinyin (reading):
sèzìtóushàngyībǎdāo
Definitions:
- lit. there is a knife above the character for lust
- fig. lascivious activities can lead to bitter consequences
Characters:
- 色 - color, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; sex
- 字 - character, letter, symbol, word
- 头 - head; chief, boss; first, top
- 上 - above, on top, superior; to go up; to attend; previous
- 一 - one; a, an; alone
- 把 - to grasp, to hold; to guard, to take; handle
- 刀 - knife; old coin; measure
Traditional characters: