褊小

褊小

1. (literary) small and narrow (e.g. of an area)

   • 齊國雖褊小，吾何愛一牛？即不忍其觳觫，若無罪而就死地，故以羊易之也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     齐国虽褊小，吾何爱一牛？即不忍其觳觫，若无罪而就死地，故以羊易之也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Qí guó suī biǎnxiǎo, wú hé ài yī niú? Jí bùrěn qí húsù, ruò wúzuì ér jiù sǐdì, gù yǐ yáng yì zhī yě. [Pinyin]

     But though Qi be a small and narrow State, how should I grudge one ox? Indeed it was because I could not bear its frightened appearance, as if it were an innocent person going to the place of death, that therefore I changed it for a sheep.