Chinese

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because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
non-family member; outsider; stranger
direction; way; method
direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk
 
trad. (不足為外人道/不足爲外人道) 不足 / 外人
simp. (不足为外人道) 不足 外人

Etymology

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數日辭去:「不足為外人道。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
数日辞去:「不足为外人道。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Peach Blossom Spring (桃花源記), by Tao Yuanming, 421 (Wiktionary translation)
Tíng shùrì, cíqù. Cǐ zhōng rén yǔ yún: “Bùzú wèi wàirén dào yě.” [Pinyin]
He stayed on for a few more days before taking his leave. As he was departing, some of them said to him, "No need to tell outsiders about us."

Pronunciation

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Particularly: “Hokkien”
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Particularly: “Teochew”

Idiom

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不足為外人道

  1. not fit to be told to others; no need to tell others; this is not to be mentioned to outsiders; this is strictly between ourselves

References

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