| Chinese Text Project | |
| Simplified Chinese version |
| 孔子行年五十有一而不闻道， | When Confucius was in his fifty-first year, he had not heard of the Dao, |
| 乃南之沛， | and went south to Pei |
| 见老聃。 | to see Lao Dan, |
| 老聃曰： | who said to him, |
| “子来乎？ | 'You have come, Sir; have you? |
| 吾闻子北方之贤者也， | I have heard that you are the wisest man of the North; |
| 子亦得道乎？” | have you also got the Dao?' |
| 孔子曰：“未得也。” | 'Not yet,' was the reply; |
| 老子曰： | and the other went on, |
| “子恶乎求之哉？” | 'How have you sought it?' |
| 曰： | Confucius said, |
| “吾求之于度数， | 'I sought it in measures and numbers, |
| 五年而未得也。” | and after five years I had not got it.' |
| 老子曰：“子又恶乎求之哉？” | And how then did you seek it? |
| 曰：“吾求之于阴阳，十有二年而未得。” | I sought it in the Yin and Yang, and after twelve years I have not found it. |
| Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 孔子 | 子+1 子+0 | 𡤿 㜽 𢀈 𢀉 𡐫 𣕓 只 | kǒng zǐ ㄎㄨㄥˇ ㄗˇ | 先秦思想家，名丘，字仲尼。 Confucius, a pre-Qin philosopher. | v2,p1008#04 v2,p1006#06 | p.277#09 p.277#01 | p.396r6c02 p.395r1c01 |
| 行 | 行+0 | 行 | xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ | Walk, move (on foot). / Advance, move forward. / Leave, exit. / Patrol, go on inspection. / Inspection of the realm by the Son of Heaven. / Be married off. / Flow, circulate. / Channel, guide. / Revolution, circular motion. / Experience. / Luggage, belongings taken on a journey. / Do, carry out. / Actions. / Accomplishments. / Use, utilize. / Take over (an official duty). / Offer, present. / Moral conduct, behaviour. / A type of classical poem. / A piece of music. / Semi-cursive script. / Adverb: will, about to. / Adverb: again, once more. / Adverb: by chance, luckily. / Ambassador (official title). / Measure word for number of pourings of drinks. | v2,p0811#06 | p.1108#31 | p.1203r5c05 |
| háng ㄏㄤˊ | Road. / Track, pattern. / Row, line. / Row of soldiers in battle. / Unit of 25 soldiers. / Shaft of a feather (and by extension, wings). / Measure word for things which form rows. / Rank, position. | ||||||
| 年 | 干+3 | 秊 𠫺 | nián ㄋㄧㄢˊ | year; new-years; person's age | v1,p0037#06 | p.340#01 | p.483r6c01 |
| 五 | 二+2 | 伍 𠄡 㐅 | wǔ ㄨˇ | five; surname | v1,p0011#03 | p.86#11 | p.64r3c01 |
| 十 | 十+0 | 拾 拾 | shí ㄕˊ | ten, tenth; complete; perfect | v1,p0058#09 | p.155#17 | p.207r5c02 |
| 有 | 月+2 | | yǒu ㄧㄡˇ | Have, possess. / Store, collect. / Occupy. / Hold on to, retain. / Have in abundance. / Good harvest. / Obtain. / Only. / Be, exist. / Occur, happen. / Make. / Particle used before a noun with no meaning. / Particle used before a monosyllabic adjective with no meaning. / Particle used before a verb with no meaning. / Still, yet. / Some people. / Region. | v3,p2041#05 | p.504#20 | p.656r5c01 |
| yòu ㄧㄡˋ | Help, assist. / Same as “又(3)” yòu ㄧㄡˋ: Moreover. | ||||||
| 一 | 一+0 | 弌 壹 | yī ㄧ | one; a, an; alone | v1,p0001#01 | p.75#01 | p.1r1c01 |
| 而 | 而+0 | ér ㄦˊ | Whiskers. / Like, similar to. / Pronoun: you. / Pronoun: this, like this. / Connective: and, with. / Connective: and, then. / Connective: if, supposing. / Connective: yet, however. / Connective: therefore, hence. / Connective: expresses method or state. / Particle: of. / Expressive particle. | v4,p2810#01 | p.961#18 | p.1080r2c03 | |
| néng ㄋㄥˊ | Same as “能(3)” néng ㄋㄥˊ: Able to, competent. / Same as “能(2.1)” néng ㄋㄥˊ: Ability, talent. | ||||||
| 不 | 一+3 | 不 𠀚 𠙐 | bù ㄅㄨˋ | (3.1) 否定副词：用于动词、形容词等前面，表示否定。 Negational adverb, used before verbs, adjectives, etc. to indicate negation. | v1,p0011#06 | p.76#15 | p.30r1c01 |
| 闻 | 耳+8 | 𦕁 䎽 䎹 𦖫 𥹢 闻 | wén ㄨㄣˊ | Hear. / Make hear. / Have heard, become aware of. / Knowledge, experience. / Rumour, saying. / Renowned, well-known. / Spread, disseminate. | v7,p4294#12 | p.968#11 | p.1084r3c01 |
| wèn ㄨㄣˋ | Reputation, fame. / Same as “问(2)” wèn ㄨㄣˋ: Inquire after, give regards to. | ||||||
| 道 | 辵+9 | 𨕥 衟 𡬹 | dào ㄉㄠˋ | Road, path. / Journey. / Method. / Law, reason. / Doctrine, claim. / Skill, technique. / Principle, right way. / The Dao, the origin of all things in Daoism. / Speak, talk. / Take a course of action. / Take a course of action. / Rites paid to the spirit of roads. / Ancient administrative unit. / Daoism. | v6,p3864#01 | p.1262#06 | p.1326r3c02 |
| dǎo ㄉㄠˇ | Lead. / Flow smoothly. | ||||||
| 乃 | 丿+1 | 廼 𢏩 𢎧 乃 𠄎 𠧤 | nǎi ㄋㄞˇ | Second person pronoun: you. / Demonstrative pronoun: like this, thus. / Adverb: expresses affirmation. / Adverb: expresses limiting of scope: only, just. / Adverb: and then. / Adverb: just. / Adverb: expresses two contradictory or contrasting states of affairs. / Adverb: expresses beginning, origin. / Connective: hence / Adverb: regarding, as for. / Connective: if. / Particle, no meaning. | v1,p0031#05 | p.81#12 | p.46r6c01 |
| 南 | 十+7 | 𡴖 𡴟 | nán nā ㄋㄢˊ ㄋㄚ | south; southern part; southward | v1,p0065#02 | p.157#05 | p.217r3c01 |
| 之 | 丿+3 | 㞢 | zhī ㄓ | Towards; go to. / Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Third person pronoun: him, her, it. / Auxiliary word: of. / Auxiliary word: used between subject and predicate, cancels independence of a clause. / Auxiliary word: used in a sentence for aesthetic purpose only, no meaning. | v1,p0043#01 | p.82#04 | p.47r2c02 |
| 沛 | 水+4 | pèi ㄆㄟˋ | abundant, full, copious; sudden | v3,p1559#03 | p.612#03 | p.773r4c02 | |
| 见 | 见+0 | 现 见 | jiàn ㄐㄧㄢˋ | See, catch sight of. / Feel, perceive. / Meet, come across. / Meet with, see. / Meet in battle. / Go to see. / Have come to see, have visit. / Grant an interview. / Recommend, introduce. / Introduce, present. / Hear. / Know, understand. / Experience, insight. / Intent, plan. / Used before a verb to indicate passive tense. / Used before a verb to indicate one is the receipient of anothers actions. / Particle used after a verb to indicate simultaneous action. / Coffin clothes. / Mix, mingle. | v6,p3663#01 | p.1133#01 | p.1229r1c01 |
| xiàn ㄒㄧㄢˋ | Appear, become visible. / Manifest, make evident. / Now, at present. / Existing, ready prepared. | ||||||
| 老聃 | 老+0 耳+5 | 耂 𠄰 耼 𨈭 | lǎo dān ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄢ | 传说中《道德经》的作者。 Laozi, supposed author of the Daodejing. | v4,p2778#01 v4,p2786#11 | p.960#25 p.966#19 | p.1077r3c03 p.1082r6c02 |
| 曰 | 曰+0 | yuē ㄩㄝ | (1) 说。 Say, speak. | v2,p1482#02 | p.502#01 | p.648r3c03 | |
| 子 | 子+0 | 㜽 𢀈 𢀉 𡐫 𣕓 只 | zǐ ㄗˇ | Child, heir. Refers to both sons and daughters. / Love, charity. / Respectful term for a man. / People in general. / Fourth of the five levels of nobility. / First of the twelve earthly branches of the zodiac. | v2,p1006#06 | p.277#01 | p.395r1c01 |
| 来 | 人+6 | 來 来 徕 耒 | lái ㄌㄞˊ | Wheat. / Come, approach, draw near. / Return. / Incur, lead to. / Will, in the future. / Since, from some time until now. / Approximate number. / Particle: used when the object of a sentence is moved forward to emphasize the object. / Particle used to alter tempo. / Modal particle expressing suggestion or encouragement. | v1,p0141#08 | p.101#16 | p.102r1c01 |
| lài ㄌㄞˋ | See 劳来. | ||||||
| 乎 | 丿+4 | 宓 | hū ㄏㄨ | (1.1) 语气词：表示疑问或反问，相当于“吗”或“呢”。 Modal particle expressing questioning or a rhetorical question. | v1,p0036#08 | p.82#07 | p.47r3c03 |
| 吾 | 口+4 | 𠮣 | wú ㄨˊ | (1) 第一人称代词。 First person pronoun: I, we. | v1,p0585#13 | p.180#03 | p.260r5c01 |
| 闻 | 耳+8 | 𦕁 䎽 䎹 𦖫 𥹢 闻 | wén ㄨㄣˊ | (2) 听説，知道。 Have heard, become aware of. | v7,p4294#12 | p.968#11 | p.1084r3c01 |
| 北 | 匕+3 | 北 𧉥 | běi ㄅㄟˇ | North. / Go northwards. / Flee in defeat. / Retreating army. | v1,p0262#04 | p.152#25 | p.203r2c02 |
| bèi ㄅㄟˋ | Deviate, depart from. | ||||||
| 方 | 方+0 | 𤙗 | fāng ㄈㄤ | (11) 方向，方位。 Direction. | v3,p2172#01 | p.481#03 | p.619r4c01 |
| 贤 | 贝+8 | 臤 贒 贤 | xián ㄒㄧㄢˊ | virtuous, worthy, good; able | v6,p3646#06 | p.1209#28 | p.1276r5c02 |
| 者 | 老+4 | zhě ㄓㄜˇ | Pronoun used after verbs, adjectives, etc. in place of a person or thing. / Pronoun used after numbers in place of a thing. / Pronoun used after time or negation to express "when" or "if". / Expressive particle used in a declarative sentence after the subject. / Expressive particle used in a sentence after the subject to express cause or explanation. | v4,p2780#05 | p.961#01 | p.1080r1c01 | |
| zhuó ㄓㄨㄛˊ | In, located in. | ||||||
| 也 | 乙+2 | 𠃟 匜 | yě ㄧㄝˇ | Modal particle used at the end of a sentence, expressing assertion and affirmation. / Modal particle used at the end of a question for emphasis. / Modal particle used at the end of a cause-effect sentence to express explanation. / Modal particle used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause. | v1,p0050#05 | p.84#04 | p.55r1c01 |
| 亦 | 亠+4 | 𠅃 | yì ㄧˋ | Original character for 腋. / Also. / Just, merely. / Again. / Modal particle at the beginning or middle of a sentence. / Accumulate. | v1,p0281#03 | p.88#09 | p.78r2c02 |
| 得 | 彳+8 | 𢔶 䙷 𢔨 | dé ㄉㄜˊ | Get, obtain. / Plunder. / Covet. / Success. / Fitting, appropriate. / Compatible. / Satisfied, pleased. / Possible, can. / Same as “德(1)” dé ㄉㄜˊ: Morals, morality. / Same as “德(3)” dé ㄉㄜˊ: Reward kindness, thank. | v2,p0828#03 | p.367#31 | p.513r6c02 |
| 未 | 木+1 | wèi ㄨㄟˋ | not yet; 8th terrestrial branch | v2,p1150#01 | p.509#05 | p.665r4c01 | |
| 老 | 老+0 | 耂 𠄰 | lǎo ㄌㄠˇ | old, aged; experienced | v4,p2778#01 | p.960#25 | p.1077r3c03 |
| 恶 | 心+8 | 惡 亚 僫 恶 | è ㄜˋ | Evil. / Bad, not good. / Bad person. / Harm. / Vicious. / Turgid, fierce. / Ugly. / A poor harvest. / Disease, illness. / Uncomfortable, unhappy. / Dirt. / Excrement. | v4,p2307#12 | p.391#25 | p.535r4c01 |
| wù ㄨˋ | Hate. / Shame. / Avoid. / Slander, attack. | ||||||
| wū ㄨ | Interrogative pronoun: how, what. / Exclamation. | ||||||
| 乎 | 丿+4 | 宓 | hū ㄏㄨ | Modal particle expressing questioning or a rhetorical question. / Modal particle expressing admiration or exclamation. / Modal particle expressing estimation. / Modal particle expressing request or order. / Modal particle expressing calling. / Modal particle expressing consideration. / Modal particle expressing affirmation. / Particle used after adjectives. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause. / Preposition: in, from, to. | v1,p0036#08 | p.82#07 | p.47r3c03 |
| 求 | 水+2 | 裘 | qiú ㄑㄧㄡˊ | seek; demand, request; beseech | v3,p1547#08 | p.604#04 | p.763r3c02 |
| 哉 | 口+6 | 才 | zāi ㄗㄞ | Begin, start. / Modal particle expressing exclamation. / Modal particle expressing questioning or a rhetorical question. | v1,p0611#07 | p.189#08 | p.270r2c01 |
| 于 | 方+4 | 乌 𣱏 𤕘 于 亏 扵 | yú ㄩˊ | Be (copula). / Be, exist. / Preposition: in. / Preposition: from or to. / Preposition: compared to. / Preposition: to, for, towards. / Preposition: by (indicating passive tense). / Preposition: with, using. / Preposition: due to, because of. / Preposition: by, according to. / Connective: just as. / Auxiliary word, no meaning. | v3,p2175#02 | p.481#11 | p.622r2c03 |
| 度 | 广+6 | 廓 𡧪 㡯 | dù ㄉㄨˋ | Standard or tool for measuring length. / Standardized unit of length. / Standard, limitation. / System, method. / Nature, capacity. / Openness, broadmindedness. / Cross over, pass through. / Measure word for times or occurrences. | v2,p0880#06 | p.345#26 | p.488r1c08 |
| duó ㄉㄨㄛˊ | To measure. / To guess, estimate. | ||||||
| 数 | 攴+11 | 数 | shù shǔ cù shuò ㄕㄨˋ ㄕㄨˇ ㄘㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄛˋ | number; several; count; fate | v2,p1474#01 | p.475#04 | p.607r4c01 |
| 又 | 又+0 | yòu ㄧㄡˋ | Hand. / Again, once more. / Moreover. / And, while. Expresses two situations happening at once or sequential action. / And yet. Expresses contrast. / Offer wine. / Forgive. | v1,p0390#01 | p.164#43 | p.233r4c03 | |
| 阴 | 阜+8 | 阴 隂 𨹉 霒 侌 𤽎 𨽙 𠊺 𣱙 喑 | yīn yìn ān ㄧㄣ ㄧㄣˋ ㄢ | 'female' principle; dark; secret | v6,p4138#05 | p.1353#06 | p.1423r2c03 |
| 阳 | 阜+9 | 昜 阦 氜 阳 𨹈 𨼘 𨽐 𣆄 | yáng ㄧㄤˊ | 'male' principle; light; sun | v6,p4144#03 | p.1355#15 | p.1429r3c02 |
| 二 | 二+0 | 贰 弍 贰 | èr ㄦˋ | two; twice | v1,p0002#01 | p.86#01 | p.58r6c01 |
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