| Chinese Text Project | |
| Simplified Chinese version |
| 故礼义也者， | Thus propriety and righteousness |
| 人之大端也， | are the great elements for man's (character); |
| 所以讲信修睦而固人之肌肤之会、筋骸之束也。 | it is by means of them that his speech is the expression of truth and his intercourse (with others) the promotion of harmony; they are (like) the union of the cuticle and cutis, and the binding together of the muscles and bones in strengthening (the body). |
| 所以养生送死事鬼神之大端也。 | They constitute the great methods by which we nourish the living, bury the dead, and serve the spirits of the departed. |
| 所以达天道顺人情之大窦也。 | They supply the channels by which we can apprehend the ways of Heaven and act as the feelings of men require. |
| 故唯圣人为知礼之不可以已也，故坏国、丧家、亡人，必先去其礼。 | It was on this account that the sages knew that the rules of ceremony could not be dispensed with, while the ruin of states, the destruction of families, and the perishing of individuals are always preceded by their abandonment of the rules of propriety. |
| Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 故 | 攴+5 | gù ㄍㄨˋ | Cause. / State of affairs. / Event, incident. / Plot. / Old. / Past, original. / Death. / On purpose. / Originally. / Hence, thus. | v2,p1453#05 | p.469#25 | p.601r5c01 | |
| 礼 | 示+13 | 禮 礼 𠃞 𤔑 礼 | lǐ ㄌㄧˇ | social custom; manners; courtesy; rites | v4,p2409#14 | p.847#07 | p.985r2c04 |
| 义 | 羊+7 | 义 | yì ㄧˋ | right conduct, righteousness | v5,p3133#02 | p.952#32 | p.1071r3c01 |
| 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 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 人 | 人+0 | 𠔽 亻 | rén ㄖㄣˊ | Man, person. / Others, other people. / The people, ordinary men. / Talent, material. / [A man's] character. / Affairs of men, world of man. / Benevolence. | v1,p0101#10 | p.91#01 | p.80r2c01 |
| 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 |
| 大 | 大+0 | 𠘲 | dà ㄉㄚˋ | Large, great. / Exceed, be greater than. / Venerate, treat as being great. / Many. / Thick, coarse. / Elder. / Respectful term of address. / Adverb expressing high level or broad range. | v1,p0520#01 | p.248#01 | p.342r3c03 |
| tài ㄊㄞˋ | Most (superlative). / Too much. / Peaceful, tranquil. | ||||||
| 端 | 立+9 | 专 | duān ㄉㄨㄢ | end, extreme; head; beginning | v4,p2714#01 | p.872#32 | p.1005r3c05 |
| 所 | 户+4 | 𢨷 | suǒ ㄙㄨㄛˇ | Place. / Location. / A suitable place or location. / Measure word, used for counting buldings. / Used before a verb, creates a noun-like phrase. / If. Mainly used in oaths and curses. / Used together with 为 to indicate the passive tense. / Indicates an approximate number. / Number, number of times. / Meaning. | v3,p2259#01 | p.415#16 | p.556r1c01 |
| 以 | 人+3 | 㠯 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Use. / Believe. / Command. / Lead. / Connect, implicate. / Have. / Cause, reason. / Preposition: because. / Preposition: from, in. / Preposition: at [some time]. / Preposition: using. / Preposition: in accordance with. / Preposition: relying upon. / Preposition: in the capacity of. / Preposition: with, together with. / Connective: indicates the following action is the objective of the preceding one. / Connective: used between adverbial clause and verb to express modification. / Connective: and. / Connective: but. / Connective: and so, thus. / Particle: used together with some words expressing direction and time. / Modal particle. / Same as “已(1)” yǐ ㄧˇ: Stop, discontinue. / Same as “已(7.2)” yǐ ㄧˇ: Adverb: already. / Same as “已(7.3)” yǐ ㄧˇ: Adverb: extremely. | v1,p0105#07 | p.94#01 | p.87r6c01 |
| 讲 | 言+10 | 讲 | jiǎng ㄐㄧㄤˇ | explain; discuss; talk | v6,p4004#02 | p.1175#24 | p.1252r4c03 |
| 信 | 人+7 | 伩 㐰 䚱 | xìn ㄒㄧㄣˋ | True, words fitting the truth. / As expected. / Really, actually. / Trust, trustworthy. / Reliable, orderly. / Believe, have confidence in. / Clarify, determine. / Clear, clear-cut. / Certificate, (object of) proof. / Sealed letter, written proof. / Envoy, messenger. / Freely, as one wishes. / Stay for two nights in succession. | v1,p0165#01 | p.105#25 | p.109r2c01 |
| shēn ㄕㄣ | Straight, linear. / Uphold, promote. | ||||||
| 修 | 人+8 | xiū ㄒㄧㄡ | study; repair; cultivate | v1,p0159#02 | p.106#05 | p.110r3c01 | |
| 睦 | 目+8 | 𡻲 | mù ㄇㄨˋ | friendly, amiable, peaceful | v4,p2494#04 | p.811#03 | p.952r4c02 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 固 | 囗+5 | 怘 | gù ㄍㄨˋ | to become solid, solidify; strength | v1,p0716#09 | p.218#03 | p.302r5c04 |
| 肌 | 肉+2 | jī jì ㄐㄧ ㄐㄧˋ | muscle tissue; meat on bones | v3,p2043#06 | p.973#07 | p.1088r5c01 | |
| 肤 | 肉+11 | 肤 | fū ㄈㄨ | skin; superficial, shallow | v3,p2107#05 | p.992#28 | p.1102r5c04 |
| 会 | 曰+9 | 𣌭 㞧 𠃐 㣛 𣥈 会 | huì ㄏㄨㄟˋ | Assemble, gather. / Banquet. / Meet with. / Agree with. / Tempo. / Examine, test. / Meeting place. / Copulation . / Chance, opportunity. / Name of an acupuncture point in Chinese medicine. / Luckily, coincidentally. / Should. / Able, capable. / Understand. / Pay money. / Benefit, kindness. / Embroidery in the five colours. | v2,p1524#05 | p.503#08 | p.654r3c02 |
| kuài ㄎㄨㄞˋ | Total, settle (a bill). / Seams of a cap or collar of official dress. / Broker, buyer and seller. / A type of flag. / The state of Kuai. / Cover of a container for food, also used for serving. | ||||||
| 筋 | 竹+6 | 筋 䈥 竻 | jīn qián ㄐㄧㄣ ㄑㄧㄢˊ | muscles; tendons | v5,p2968#04 | p.882#26 | p.1013r2c02 |
| 骸 | 骨+6 | 䠹 | hái gāi ㄏㄞˊ ㄍㄞ | skeleton, body; leg bone | v7,p4412#01 | p.1448#50 | p.1513r2c06 |
| 束 | 木+3 | shù ㄕㄨˋ | bind, control, restrain; bale | v2,p1158#03 | p.512#12 | p.675r1c01 | |
| 养 | 食+6 | 䍩 𢼝 养 | yǎng yàng ㄧㄤˇ ㄧㄤˋ | raise, rear, bring up; support | v7,p4452#08 | p.1419#26 | p.1491r4c09 |
| 生 | 生+0 | 𤯓 | shēng ㄕㄥ | life, living, lifetime; birth | v4,p2575#01 | p.754#26 | p.906r5c03 |
| 送 | 辵+6 | 𨕪 𨕩 | sòng ㄙㄨㄥˋ | see off, send off; dispatch, give | v6,p3832#06 | p.1256#21 | p.1314r6c02 |
| 死 | 歹+2 | 𠑾 𣥴 | sǐ ㄙˇ | die; dead; death | v2,p1380#06 | p.578#22 | p.740r6c06 |
| 事 | 亅+7 | 亊 叓 𠭏 | shì ㄕˋ | Office, duty. / Job, career. / Things, affairs. / Accident, incident. / Engage (in), pursue. / Serve. | v1,p0023#03 | p.85#24 | p.58r3c02 |
| 鬼 | 鬼+0 | 𩲡 𢇼 𣆠 | guǐ ㄍㄨㄟˇ | ghost; spirit of dead; devil | v7,p4427#01 | p.1460#30 | p.1521r5c03 |
| 神 | 示+5 | 神 𥛠 | shén shēn ㄕㄣˊ ㄕㄣ | spirit, god, supernatural being | v4,p2392#01 | p.842#03 | |
| 达 | 辵+9 | 达 | dá tà tì ㄉㄚˊ ㄊㄚˋ ㄊㄧˋ | arrive at, reach; intelligent | v6,p3855#01 | p.1262#10 | p.1328r1c01 |
| 天 | 大+1 | 𠀡 𠀘 𦴞 兲 靝 𠕹 | tiān ㄊㄧㄢ | sky, heaven; god, celestial | v1,p0522#01 | p.248#04 | p.358r4c01 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 顺 | 页+3 | 㥧 巡 𠈼 顺 | shùn ㄕㄨㄣˋ | obey, submit to, go along with | v7,p4357#05 | p.1399#17 | p.1475r3c01 |
| 情 | 心+8 | 𢚏 啨 | qíng ㄑㄧㄥˊ | feeling, sentiment, emotion | v4,p2312#13 | p.389#31 | p.533r4c03 |
| 窦 | 穴+15 | 𥥷 窦 | dòu dú ㄉㄡˋ ㄉㄨˊ | surname; hole, burrow; corrupt | v4,p2745#12 | p.869#18 | p.1001r6c04 |
| 唯 | 口+8 | wéi ㄨㄟˊ | Only, exclusively. / Connective: although, even though. / Connective: because. / Particle used at the beginning of a sentence to express hope or desire. / Particle used at the beginning of a sentence to express confirmation. / Particle, no meaning. | v1,p0642#05 | p.193#17 | p.277r1c02 | |
| wěi ㄨㄟˇ | Sound of affirmation. / Affirm. | ||||||
| 圣人 | 耳+7 人+0 | 垩 𦕡 𠄵 圣 𠔽 亻 | shèng rén ㄕㄥˋ ㄖㄣˊ | 出类拔萃的人。 Sage, outstanding person. | v4,p2789#06 v1,p0101#10 | p.967#22 p.91#01 | p.1082r6c06 p.80r2c01 |
| 为 | 火+5 | 爲 为 | wéi ㄨㄟˊ | Create, make. / Build, construct. / Do. / Plant, grow. / Govern. / Research, study. / Serve as. / Change into, become. / As, in the role of. / Count as, be considered as. / Called, named. / Expresses judgement: is. / Make, cause (to). / Have. / Take part in. / Write, author. / Connective: if. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to move forward the object. / Modal particle used at the end of a sentence to express a rhetorical question. | v3,p2198#11 | p.669#10 | p.844r4c03 |
| wèi ㄨㄟˋ | Help, assist. / Preposition: for, on behalf of. / Preposition: by (passive). / Preposition: because of, due to. / Preposition: with, together with. / Connective: because. / Say. / False, fake. | ||||||
| 知 | 矢+3 | 𢇻 𥎿 | zhī ㄓ | Know, understand. / Perception. / Recognize. / Knowledge. / Know about, make sense of. / Be friendly with. / Control, get on top of. | v4,p2581#02 | p.824#01 | p.955r5c02 |
| zhì ㄓˋ | Wisdom. | ||||||
| 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 |
| 可 | 口+2 | 歌 厥 | kě kè ㄎㄜˇ ㄎㄜˋ | may, can, -able; possibly | v1,p0567#07 | p.172#12 | p.244r1c02 |
| 已 | 己+0 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Stop, discontinue. / Complete / The past. / Recover, be cured. / Leave [a post], retire. / Value and carry out. / Adverb: shortly, before long. / Adverb: already. / Adverb: extremely. / Modal particle used at the end of a sentence. / Interjection. / Same as “以(1)” yǐ ㄧˇ: Use. / Same as “以(9)” yǐ ㄧˇ: Particle: used together with some words expressing direction and time. | v2,p0984#01 | p.326#11 | p.467r3c01 | |
| 坏 | 土+16 | 壊 𡎯 坏 | huài ㄏㄨㄞˋ | bad, spoil(ed), ruin, destroy | v1,p0500#02 | p.242#03 | p.332r5c04 |
| 国 | 囗+8 | 圀 国 囗 囶 𢧌 䆐 囯 国 | guó ㄍㄨㄛˊ | nation, country, nation-state | v1,p0720#09 | p.219#16 | p.303r4c02 |
| 丧 | 口+9 | 𡂤 𡴧 𡂧 𦦦 𡚏 丧 | sàng ㄙㄤˋ | Lose, cease to have. / Die. / Destroy, lose. | v1,p0650#03 | p.200#12 | p.286r5c02 |
| sāng ㄙㄤ | Funeral rites, mourning. / Dismayed, dispirited. / Remains, body in a coffin. | ||||||
| 家 | 宀+7 | 家 宊 𠖔 𡩅 𡧚 | jiā jie gū ㄐㄧㄚ ㄐㄧㄝ· ㄍㄨ | house, home, residence; family | v2,p0930#15 | p.286#17 | p.420r1c02 |
| 亡 | 亠+1 | 亾 兦 | wáng wú ㄨㄤˊ ㄨˊ | death, destroyed; lose, perish | v1,p0279#05 | p.88#03 | p.75r6c04 |
| 必 | 心+1 | bì ㄅㄧˋ | surely, most certainly; must | v4,p2267#02 | p.375#02 | p.522r5c01 | |
| 先 | 儿+4 | xiān ㄒㄧㄢ | first, former, previous | v1,p0267#02 | p.124#05 | p.134r3c02 | |
| 去 | 厶+3 | qù ㄑㄩˋ | Leave, go away from. / Send away. / Remove, get rid of. / Banish, discard. / Lose, cease to possess. / Distance, separation. / Previous, past. / Later, after. | v1,p0384#08 | p.164#10 | p.232r1c04 | |
| jǔ ㄐㄩˇ | Collect, keep. | ||||||
| qū ㄑㄩ | Expel. | ||||||
| 其 | 八+6 | 丌 亓 | qí ㄑㄧˊ | Third-person possessive pronoun: his, her, its, their. / Demonstrative pronoun: that, those. / Adverb expressing estimation or guess. / Adverb expressing imperative. / Adverb expressing rhetorical question. / Adverb expressing future tense. / Connective expressing hypothesis: if, supposing. / Connective expressing choice: or. / Connective expressing concession: even if. / Particle used after an adjective. / Particle: of. / Particle used for emphasis after single-character adjectives or onomatopoeia. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to alter the tempo. | v1,p0245#01 | p.127#18 | p.162r5c01 |
| jì ㄐㄧˋ | Particle used after bi and he. | ||||||
| jī ㄐㄧ | Modal particle expressing interrogative tone. / A year. |
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