<p>the 國語辭典 listed: 貽笑大方 is derived from 見笑大方</p>

<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000093396" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000093396</a></p>

<p>then 見笑大方 is derived from 莊子﹒秋水</p>

<p><a href="http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/floods-of-autumn/zh" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/floods-of-autumn/zh</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>吾長見笑於大方之家</p>
</blockquote>

<p>it's a comment made by 河伯 (uncle river), when he reached the sea.</p>

<p>again, the 國語辭典 explained "大方之家" as "懂得大道理的人" (~ experts)</p>

<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000040658" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000040658</a></p>

<p>and "大方" as "有名的大家"</p>

<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000040654" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000040654</a></p>

<p>"方" is not a classifier in this usage. as i "google", some remarks of "方" in literatures of yore were "道" (tao, the proper way).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T19:51:48.610Z
方 can be the shortened form of the classifier 平方 (square) or 立方(cubic). As in "面積一萬(平)方米" (ten thousand square meter area) or "體積一百萬(立)方米" (one million cubic meter volume )
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T20:00:34.963Z
well, if one treat 方 as area, or volume, the two entries in 國語辭典 cannot be explained (大方之家 & 大方). :)
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T20:02:13.817Z
It can be a classifier, but  it isn't one in  貽笑大方
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T19:42:53.370Z
2017-12-21T19:42:53.370Z
水巷孑蠻
<p><strong>Edit:</strong> 水巷孑蠻's answer seem legit, but the modern usage of 貽笑大方 is basically the same as my interpretation below. Since the term 大方家  itself had became archaic, common folks no longer associate 大方 with 'famous experts'. The meaning of 貽笑大方 changed from the original to &quot;become laughingstock in famous experts' mind&quot; to the more common &quot;become laughingstock in everyone's mind&quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>方 <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/425/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/425/</a></p>
<p>[3] [n] region; area; place</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In 貽笑大方,  大 means 'great/vast' ; 方 means 'region/ area'</p>
<p>貽笑大方 means 'give laughter (become laughingstock) to vast area'. Meaning it is so laughable that people everywhere are laughing at it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T18:58:48.683Z
2017-12-22T03:51:18.527Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>Consulting a dictionary on the meaning of 貽 makes the meaning of the expression rather clear. I would say “give (others cause for) great laughter”, “become laughingstock”. Yet I have trouble understanding 方。 The only function I can guess is that of a classifier. But there are two problems.</p>

<p>Firstly, it occurs in somewhat literary Chinese, which, I am given to understand, does not use classifiers. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>清·李汝珍《鏡花緣》第17回：“才女才說學士大夫論及反切尚切瞠目無語，何況我們不過略知皮毛，豈敢亂談，貽笑大方！</p>
</blockquote>

<p>On the other hand the use of 我 perhaps shows it is not really classical, but a hybrid literary Chinese?</p>

<p>A lesser problem is that none of my Pleco dictionaries （PLC, TL, CC, UNI) list 方 as a classifier for 笑。 Google search of 一方笑 doesn’t remotely support it as a classifier.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T19:41:18.027Z
according to bkrs, 大方 1) 有名的大家。 **expert
scholar**
如：「他如此的谬解文意，真是贻笑大方。」
花月痕．第十回：「款书『荷生题赠采秋女史』八字，写毕，说道：『贻笑大方！』」

贻笑大方 see 贻笑方家 [  _give an expert cause for laughter; incur the ridicule of those who know_ ] 大方 has frequency #6686 (also is in IME) many other meanings
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T19:44:55.987Z
@ludi, classifier is used, very often, in literary chinese. these classifiers would replace the nouns. and, "我" is used in literary chinese, though not common. need examples of these two situations?
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-21T21:18:47.497Z
@水巷孑蠻 Yes, please! Should I post specific questions for these?
Ludi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T04:45:09.220Z
sure, that would make searching easier, in later times :)
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T11:24:55.637Z
@user6065 What is IME?
Ludi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T11:34:15.117Z
I just learned something new about pleco. In my text I marked 大方 with pleco and it gave me 3 meanings (generous, natural and poised, in good taste). These all seemed irrelevant. Had I searched properly, I would have found the distinct entries da4fang and da4fang1. I am sorry for my sloppiness. Still, I really benefited from the answers.
Ludi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-22T12:58:43.880Z
IME= (Chinese) Input Method Editor
user6065
<grammar>
What is the role of 方 in 貽笑大方？
# What is the role of 方 in 貽笑大方？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-21)

Consulting a dictionary on the meaning of 貽 makes the meaning of the expression rather clear. I would say “give (others cause for) great laughter”, “become laughingstock”. Yet I have trouble understanding 方。 The only function I can guess is that of a classifier. But there are two problems.

Firstly, it occurs in somewhat literary Chinese, which, I am given to understand, does not use classifiers.

> 清·李汝珍《鏡花緣》第17回：“才女才說學士大夫論及反切尚切瞠目無語，何況我們不過略知皮毛，豈敢亂談，貽笑大方！

On the other hand the use of 我 perhaps shows it is not really classical, but a hybrid literary Chinese?

A lesser problem is that none of my Pleco dictionaries （PLC, TL, CC, UNI) list 方 as a classifier for 笑。 Google search of 一方笑 doesn’t remotely support it as a classifier.

**Tags:** grammar
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: according to bkrs, 大方 1) 有名的大家。 **expert scholar** 如：「他如此的谬解文意，真是贻笑大方。」 花月痕．第十回：「款书『荷生题赠采秋女史』八字，写毕，说道：『贻笑大方！』」  贻笑大方 see 贻笑方家 [  _give an expert cause for laughter; incur the ridicule of those who know_ ] 大方 has frequency #6686 (also is in IME) many other meanings  
> **username_2**: @ludi, classifier is used, very often, in literary chinese. these classifiers would replace the nouns. and, "我" is used in literary chinese, though not common. need examples of these two situations?  
> **username_0**: @水巷孑蠻 Yes, please! Should I post specific questions for these?  
> **username_2**: sure, that would make searching easier, in later times :)  
> **username_0**: @user6065 What is IME?  
> **username_0**: I just learned something new about pleco. In my text I marked 大方 with pleco and it gave me 3 meanings (generous, natural and poised, in good taste). These all seemed irrelevant. Had I searched properly, I would have found the distinct entries da4fang and da4fang1. I am sorry for my sloppiness. Still, I really benefited from the answers.  
> **username_1**: IME= (Chinese) Input Method Editor  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-12-21. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

the 國語辭典 listed: 貽笑大方 is derived from 見笑大方

<http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=Z00000093396>

then 見笑大方 is derived from 莊子﹒秋水

<http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/floods-of-autumn/zh>

> 吾長見笑於大方之家

it's a comment made by 河伯 (uncle river), when he reached the sea.

again, the 國語辭典 explained "大方之家" as "懂得大道理的人" (~ experts)

<http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=Z00000040658>

and "大方" as "有名的大家"

<http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=Z00000040654>

"方" is not a classifier in this usage. as i "google", some remarks of "方" in literatures of yore were "道" (tao, the proper way).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: 方 can be the shortened form of the classifier 平方 (square) or 立方(cubic). As in "面積一萬(平)方米" (ten thousand square meter area) or "體積一百萬(立)方米" (one million cubic meter volume )  
> **username_2**: well, if one treat 方 as area, or volume, the two entries in 國語辭典 cannot be explained (大方之家 & 大方). :)  
> **username_3**: It can be a classifier, but  it isn't one in  貽笑大方  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-12-21. Score: 1

**Edit:** 水巷孑蠻's answer seem legit, but the modern usage of 貽笑大方 is basically the same as my interpretation below. Since the term 大方家 itself had became archaic, common folks no longer associate 大方 with 'famous experts'. The meaning of 貽笑大方 changed from the original to "become laughingstock in famous experts' mind" to the more common "become laughingstock in everyone's mind"

> 方 <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/425/>
>
> [3] [n] region; area; place

In 貽笑大方, 大 means 'great/vast' ; 方 means 'region/ area'

貽笑大方 means 'give laughter (become laughingstock) to vast area'. Meaning it is so laughable that people everywhere are laughing at it.


---

