群龍無首

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Chinese

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crowd; flock; group dragon; imperial; surname not have
head; chief; first (occasion)
head; chief; first (occasion); first (thing); measure word for poems
 
trad. (群龍無首/羣龍無首) /
simp. (群龙无首)

Etymology

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From I Ching, Hexagram 1 (《易经·乾卦》):

群龍 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
群龙 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: I Ching, 11th – 8th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Yòng jiǔ: jiàn qún lóng wú shǒu, jí. [Pinyin]
(The lines of this hexagram are all strong and undivided, as appears from) the use of the number NINE. If the host of dragons (thus) appearing were to divest themselves of their heads, there would be good fortune.

This term has been reinterpreted by taking (shǒu) as "leader".

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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群龍無首

  1. (of a group) to lack a leader