<p>Here 复 simply means 'reply' or 'answer'. In another sense, he meant 'repeat' or 'follow'. 阮咸 was 阮籍's nephew. Among the 阮's, those who lived in the north were rich and those who lived in the south were poor. When the families in the north were drying their silk and satin garments in the sun, 阮咸, being poor, hung a big cloth underwear as a reply. He said he couldn't avoid violating the tradition (of drying clothes in the sun on July 7).</p>
<p>He was poor and he had rich relatives, who showed their wealth by displaying their clothes. He didn't have the clothes but he didn't want to show that he was inferior in status. He didn't have the material wealth. By displaying the underwear he was saying he followed the tradition and he was demonstrating that he was also of noble origin. Perhaps the tradition among the rich was to dry clothes in the sun on July 7th (mostly late August in modern calendar). He was also snubbing or mocking the tradition of showing wealth.</p>
<p>The paragraph was just an example to show that 阮咸 was like his uncle, who had a free spirit and disdained flaunting of wealth and status.</p>
<p>In addition, here 尔 probably means 'them' (the other 阮's).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-04T13:51:09.277Z
2024-07-04T15:05:23.447Z
2024-07-04T15:05:23.447Z
Fred Liu
<p>聊复尔耳的“复”意思是“又”或“再”。<br />
The “复”in &quot;聊复尔耳&quot; means &quot;again&quot; or &quot;once again&quot;</p>
<p>这个成语中的“复”字，<br />
The “复”character in this saying,<br />
在语境中表达了“再次”或“又一次”的意思，<br />
in its context expresses the meaning of &quot;again&quot; or &quot;once again',<br />
强调了某种行为或态度的重复性。<br />
emphasising the repetitive nature of some kind of behaviour or attitude.<br />
具体到成语“聊复尔耳”，<br />
specifically the saying “聊复尔耳”，<br />
它出自《晋书·阮咸传》，<br />
which comes from 《Biography of Ruan Xian Book of Jin》，<br />
原文为“未能免俗，聊复尔耳”，<br />
(the) original text was “未能免俗，聊复尔耳”<br />
这里的“尔耳”指的是“如此而已”，<br />
here “尔耳”means &quot;like this and that's all&quot;<br />
而“聊复”则表达了姑且如此、勉强应付的态度。<br />
and “聊复”thus expresses the attitude &quot;for the time being (things stay) like this, deal with it.&quot;<br />
因此，<br />
Therefore<br />
“复”在这里的作用是强调这种应付态度的不情愿和被动接受。<br />
“复”in this usage emphasises a kind of &quot;acquiesce and cope however unwilling&quot; attitude.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-05T06:42:36.827Z
2024-07-05T06:42:36.827Z
Pedroski
<p>复 - 还，再 (as 复 in <a href="https://m.guoxuedashi.net/chengyu/10377f.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">夫复何言</a></p>
<p>聊(姑且，勉强)复(还是)尔(如此)耳(罢了)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-04T22:32:14.933Z
2024-07-04T22:32:14.933Z
r13
<p>The meaning of &quot;聊复尔耳&quot; is</p>
<blockquote>
<p>聊复尔耳：姑且如此罢了。语出《晋书・卷四九・阮籍传》：「北阮富，南阮贫。七月七日，北阮盛晒衣服，皆锦绮粲目。咸以竿挂大布犊鼻于庭，人或怪之，答曰：『未能免俗，聊复尔耳！』」</p>
<p>聊：姑且，勉强，凑凑和和。</p>
<p>尔：如此、这样。</p>
<p>耳：文言助词，而已，罢了。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The meaning of this Chengyu is to connect the three characters above. So <strong>what is the meaning and function of the character &quot;复&quot;?</strong> I thought it might be an adverb, taking the meaning of &quot;再&quot;&quot;又&quot;, but it doesn't fit the context either.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-05T01:52:41.670Z
這詞第二字正作【復】，而【復】字本身沒有【如此】這個意思，那在【聊復】中【復】字可能無義但有助詞作用，例如《贈衛八處士》中的「今夕復何夕」。
dROOOze
<meaning><meaning-in-context><chengyu>
What is the meaning of "复" in "聊复尔耳"?
# What is the meaning of "复" in "聊复尔耳"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-07-04)

The meaning of "聊复尔耳" is

> 聊复尔耳：姑且如此罢了。语出《晋书・卷四九・阮籍传》：「北阮富，南阮贫。七月七日，北阮盛晒衣服，皆锦绮粲目。咸以竿挂大布犊鼻于庭，人或怪之，答曰：『未能免俗，聊复尔耳！』」
>
> 聊：姑且，勉强，凑凑和和。
>
> 尔：如此、这样。
>
> 耳：文言助词，而已，罢了。

The meaning of this Chengyu is to connect the three characters above. So **what is the meaning and function of the character "复"?** I thought it might be an adverb, taking the meaning of "再""又", but it doesn't fit the context either.

**Tags:** meaning, meaning-in-context, chengyu

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 這詞第二字正作【復】，而【復】字本身沒有【如此】這個意思，那在【聊復】中【復】字可能無義但有助詞作用，例如《贈衛八處士》中的「今夕復何夕」。  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-07-04. Score: 1

Here 复 simply means 'reply' or 'answer'. In another sense, he meant 'repeat' or 'follow'. 阮咸 was 阮籍's nephew. Among the 阮's, those who lived in the north were rich and those who lived in the south were poor. When the families in the north were drying their silk and satin garments in the sun, 阮咸, being poor, hung a big cloth underwear as a reply. He said he couldn't avoid violating the tradition (of drying clothes in the sun on July 7).

He was poor and he had rich relatives, who showed their wealth by displaying their clothes. He didn't have the clothes but he didn't want to show that he was inferior in status. He didn't have the material wealth. By displaying the underwear he was saying he followed the tradition and he was demonstrating that he was also of noble origin. Perhaps the tradition among the rich was to dry clothes in the sun on July 7th (mostly late August in modern calendar). He was also snubbing or mocking the tradition of showing wealth.

The paragraph was just an example to show that 阮咸 was like his uncle, who had a free spirit and disdained flaunting of wealth and status.

In addition, here 尔 probably means 'them' (the other 阮's).


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### Answer by username_3 on 2024-07-05. Score: 0

聊复尔耳的“复”意思是“又”或“再”。  
The “复”in "聊复尔耳" means "again" or "once again"

这个成语中的“复”字，  
The “复”character in this saying,  
在语境中表达了“再次”或“又一次”的意思，  
in its context expresses the meaning of "again" or "once again',  
强调了某种行为或态度的重复性。  
emphasising the repetitive nature of some kind of behaviour or attitude.  
具体到成语“聊复尔耳”，  
specifically the saying “聊复尔耳”，  
它出自《晋书·阮咸传》，  
which comes from 《Biography of Ruan Xian Book of Jin》，  
原文为“未能免俗，聊复尔耳”，  
(the) original text was “未能免俗，聊复尔耳”  
这里的“尔耳”指的是“如此而已”，  
here “尔耳”means "like this and that's all"  
而“聊复”则表达了姑且如此、勉强应付的态度。  
and “聊复”thus expresses the attitude "for the time being (things stay) like this, deal with it."  
因此，  
Therefore  
“复”在这里的作用是强调这种应付态度的不情愿和被动接受。  
“复”in this usage emphasises a kind of "acquiesce and cope however unwilling" attitude.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2024-07-04. Score: -1

复 - 还，再 (as 复 in [夫复何言](https://m.guoxuedashi.net/chengyu/10377f.html)

聊(姑且，勉强)复(还是)尔(如此)耳(罢了)


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