只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯 in English zhi3 xu3 zhou1 guan1 fang4 huo3 , bu4 xu3 bai3 xing4 dian3 deng1 Meaning

Meanings

• only the official is allowed to light the fire
• Gods may do what cattle may not
• quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi

Pinyin

zhi3 xu3 zhou1 guan1 fang4 huo3 , bu4 xu3 bai3 xing4 dian3 deng1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

只zhi3only 许xu3surname Xu 州zhou1prefecture 官guan1surname Guan 放fang4to put 火huo3surname Huo ， 不bu4(negative prefix) 许xu3surname Xu 百bai3surname Bai 姓xing4family name 点dian3point 灯deng1lamp