盈えい虧き

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

waxing and waning of the moon; lunar phase

Rare, technical term in astronomy for the moon's phases. Modern Japanese more commonly uses 月の満ち欠け or 月相.

• 盈えい虧きは月つきの満みち欠かけを指さす古ふるい天てん文もん学がくの用よう語ごだ。

  盈虧 is an old astronomical term referring to the waxing and waning of the moon.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

rise and fall of fortune

Rare, literary metaphor extending the lunar cycle to human affairs. Modern Japanese would more often use 盛衰 or 浮き沈み.

• 古こ典てんでは、人じん生せいの盈えい虧きを月つきにたとえることがある。

  In classical literature, the waxing and waning of life is sometimes likened to the moon.