藕斷絲連

Chinese

	root of lotus	to break; to judge; absolutely to break; to judge; absolutely; decidedly	silk; thread; trace	even; as; to join even; as; to join; to link; successively
trad. (藕斷絲連)	藕	斷	絲	連
simp. (藕断丝连)	藕	断	丝	连
Literally: “the lotus root is broken, (but) threads (still) connect (the two pieces)”.

The lotus root is a tuberous plant, with lots of threads. Therefore, when you break it, a number of threads will still be attached.

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: ǒuduànsīlián
  - Zhuyin: ㄡˇ ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄙㄌㄧㄢˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ǒuduànsihlián
  - Wade–Giles: ou³-tuan⁴-ssŭ¹-lien²
  - Yale: ǒu-dwàn-sz̄-lyán
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: oouduannsylian
  - Palladius: оудуаньсылянь (ouduanʹsyljanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯än⁵¹ sz̩⁵⁵ li̯ɛn³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: ngau⁵ dyun⁶ si¹ lin⁴
  - Yale: ngáuh dyuhn sī lìhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ngau⁵ dyn⁶ si¹ lin⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: ngeo⁵ dün⁶ xi¹ lin⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɐu̯¹³ tyːn²² siː⁵⁵ liːn²¹/
Southern Min
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ngou² duang⁶ si¹ liang⁵
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ngóu tuăng si liâng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋou⁵²⁻³⁵ tuaŋ³⁵ si³³⁻²³ liaŋ⁵⁵/

Note: Jieyang.

藕斷絲連

the ties are severed, but not completely; to still have a thing for somebody; to still pine for somebody