<p>昔伯牙絕絃於鍾期，仲尼覆醢于子路，痛知音之難遇，傷門人之莫逮也。 Means a person lost his(her) bosom friend, he (she) is so sad, and not one can acquaintance him(her) like the past friend.So the 莫逮 here is can not be comparable to something(someone), 莫 means can not, 逮 means can be comparable to something(someone).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-26T09:05:53.800Z
2014-12-26T09:05:53.800Z
lqhcpsgbl
<p>Some examples of 莫逮 found in Classical texts:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>三國志．卷二十一．魏書．王粲傳：「昔伯牙絕絃於鍾期，仲尼覆醢于子路，痛知音之難遇，傷門人之<strong>莫逮</strong>也。」</p>
</blockquote>
<br>
<blockquote>
<p>《南齐书·周盘龙传》
形甚羸訥, 而臨軍勇果, 諸將莫逮。</p>
</blockquote>
<br>
<blockquote>
<p>《宋史•朱弁传》:“叹马角之未生,魂销雪窖;攀龙髯而莫逮,泪洒冰天。”</p>
</blockquote>
<br>
<blockquote>
<p>《荀子·尧问》
楚莊王 謀事而當羣臣莫逮, 退朝而有憂色。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm assuming here <strong>莫</strong> is of the whole 没、不，勿 nature.</p>
<p><strong>逮</strong> as a classical text can only be dài (or dì) but definitely not dǎi.</p>
<p>If we go with dài we have:</p>
<p><strong>Gu Hanyu Da Cidian</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>①及;到。</p>
<p>②逮捕。</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Students Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>1 come to, reach a point in place or time; extend to, up to.</p>
<p>a measure up (to standard), be equally matched; catch up to</p>
<p>b when, by the time of; until; keep on till.</p>
<p>2 nab, seize; apprehend, arrest; attain, acquire, obtain.</p>
<p>a seize the moment for, catch the chance of; take advantage of.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If we go with the (very unlikely) pronunciation of dì then it would mean something like</p>
<p><strong>Gu Hanyu Da Cidian</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>娴雅貌。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>莫 has a ton of other meanings.</p>
<p>逮 has other meanings, not mentioned here, aswell.</p>
<p>What's the best way to interpret 莫逮 in these classical texts?</p>
<p>What's the best translation?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-26T07:31:25.883Z
莫=不, 逮=及, so 莫逮=不及 (cannot reach that level). I'm not kidding XD
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-26T10:33:06.760Z
@Stan why don't you write up an answer...?
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-27T01:37:37.657Z
Because I don't have a dictionary for classical texts at hand, I'm not sure if it has other meanings, besides, I don't quite like writing single-line answers :)
Stan
<translation><usage><classical-chinese>
Meaning of 莫逮 in Classical texts?
# Meaning of 莫逮 in Classical texts?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-26)

Some examples of 莫逮 found in Classical texts:

> 三國志．卷二十一．魏書．王粲傳：「昔伯牙絕絃於鍾期，仲尼覆醢于子路，痛知音之難遇，傷門人之**莫逮**也。」

  
> 《南齐书·周盘龙传》
> 形甚羸訥, 而臨軍勇果, 諸將莫逮。

  
> 《宋史•朱弁传》:“叹马角之未生,魂销雪窖;攀龙髯而莫逮,泪洒冰天。”

  
> 《荀子·尧问》
> 楚莊王 謀事而當羣臣莫逮, 退朝而有憂色。

I'm assuming here **莫** is of the whole 没、不，勿 nature.

**逮** as a classical text can only be dài (or dì) but definitely not dǎi.

If we go with dài we have:

**Gu Hanyu Da Cidian**

> ①及;到。
>
> ②逮捕。

**Students Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese**

> 1 come to, reach a point in place or time; extend to, up to.
>
> a measure up (to standard), be equally matched; catch up to
>
> b when, by the time of; until; keep on till.
>
> 2 nab, seize; apprehend, arrest; attain, acquire, obtain.
>
> a seize the moment for, catch the chance of; take advantage of.

If we go with the (very unlikely) pronunciation of dì then it would mean something like

**Gu Hanyu Da Cidian**

> 娴雅貌。

莫 has a ton of other meanings.

逮 has other meanings, not mentioned here, aswell.

What's the best way to interpret 莫逮 in these classical texts?

What's the best translation?

**Tags:** translation, usage, classical-chinese
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 莫=不, 逮=及, so 莫逮=不及 (cannot reach that level). I'm not kidding XD  
> **username_0**: @Stan why don't you write up an answer...?  
> **username_1**: Because I don't have a dictionary for classical texts at hand, I'm not sure if it has other meanings, besides, I don't quite like writing single-line answers :)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-12-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

昔伯牙絕絃於鍾期，仲尼覆醢于子路，痛知音之難遇，傷門人之莫逮也。 Means a person lost his(her) bosom friend, he (she) is so sad, and not one can acquaintance him(her) like the past friend.So the 莫逮 here is can not be comparable to something(someone), 莫 means can not, 逮 means can be comparable to something(someone).


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