nhựt nguyệt tuy minh, nam chiếu phúc bồn chi hạ
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Sun and moon shine, but never under the upturned basin — even genius has its blind hollow.
Literally: sun and moon bright, yet can't light beneath the overturned tub
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “nhựt nguyệt tuy minh, nam chiếu phúc bồn chi hạ” mean?
Sun and moon shine, but never under the upturned basin — even genius has its blind hollow. Literally: sun and moon bright, yet can't light beneath the overturned tub
Is “nhựt nguyệt tuy minh, nam chiếu phúc bồn chi hạ” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.