Chinese Text Project | |
Simplified Chinese version |
是故昔先王之制礼也, | Hence it was that in old times, when the ancient kings instituted ceremonies, |
因其财物而致其义焉尔。 | they conveyed their idea by means of the qualities of the articles and observances which they employed. |
故作大事, | In their great undertakings, |
必顺天时, | they were sure to act in accordance with the seasons; |
为朝夕必放于日月, | in their doings morning and evening, they imitated the sun and moon; |
为高必因丘陵, | in what required a high situation, they took advantage of mounds and hillocks, |
为下必因川泽。 | and in what required a low situation, of the (banks of the) rivers and lakes. |
是故天时雨泽, | Hence each season has its rains and benefits, |
君子达亹亹焉。 | and those wise men sought to make use of them with intelligence with all the earnestness they could command. |
是故昔先王尚有德、尊有道、任有能; | The ancient kings valued (men's) possession of virtue, honoured those who pursued the right course, and employed those who displayed ability. |
举贤而置之, | They selected men of talents and virtue, and appointed them. |
聚众而誓之。 | They assembled the whole of them and solemnly addressed them. |
Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
是 | 日+5 | 昰 𣆞 | shì ㄕˋ | Straight. / Right, correct. / Believe accurate, affirm. / Demonstrative pronoun: this. / Be (copula). / Auxiliary word, used after moving forward the object. | v2,p1497#05 | p.493#26 | p.639r1c01 |
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 | |
昔 | 日+4 | xī cuò xí ㄒㄧ ㄘㄨㄛˋ ㄒㄧˊ | formerly; ancient; in beginning | v2,p1488#11 | p.492#05 | p.634r5c01 | |
先 | 儿+4 | xiān ㄒㄧㄢ | first, former, previous | v1,p0267#02 | p.124#05 | p.134r3c02 | |
王 | 玉+0 | wáng ㄨㄤˊ | (1.1) 夏商周三代的最高统治者。 King, title of supreme ruler of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. | v2,p1099#10 | p.727#02 | p.888r1c02 | |
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 |
制 | 刀+6 | 𠜔 𠝦 𠝁 𠛐 制 | zhì ㄓˋ | system; establish; overpower | v1,p0335#01 | p.139#02 | p.181r6c04 |
礼 | 示+13 | 禮 礼 𠃞 𤔑 礼 | lǐ ㄌㄧˇ | social custom; manners; courtesy; rites | v4,p2409#14 | p.847#07 | p.985r2c04 |
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 |
因 | 囗+3 | 囙 𤇀 | yīn ㄧㄣ | cause, reason; by; because (of) | v1,p0711#09 | p.217#02 | |
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. | ||||||
财 | 贝+3 | 㒲 才 财 | cái ㄘㄞˊ | wealth, valuables, riches | v6,p3624#07 | p.1204#11 | p.1269r5c02 |
物 | 牛+4 | wù ㄨˋ | thing, substance, creature | v3,p1805#03 | p.699#09 | p.869r5c01 | |
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. | ||||||
致 | 至+3 | 致 | zhì zhuì ㄓˋ ㄓㄨㄟˋ | send, deliver, present; cause | v4,p2815#06 | p.1001#19 | p.602r5c01 |
义 | 羊+7 | 义 | yì ㄧˋ | right conduct, righteousness | v5,p3133#02 | p.952#32 | p.1071r3c01 |
焉 | 火+7 | yān ㄧㄢ | Same as “之(2)” zhī ㄓ: Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Same as “之(3)” zhī ㄓ: Third person pronoun: him, her, it. / Demonstrative pronoun and modal particle: than this. / Interrogative pronoun: how, where. / Interrogative pronoun: what. / Connective: and, then. / Preposition: in. / Modal particle. / Adjectival or adverbal suffix. | v3,p2206#14 | p.672#21 | p.847r5c01 | |
尔 | 爻+10 | 尔 尔 | ěr ㄦˇ | Second person pronoun: you. / Luxuriant growth of flowers. / Close, near. / Simple, easily understood. / Like this, in this way. / This, that. / Modal particle: merely. / Modal particle expressing statement. / Modal particle expressing affirmation. / Modal particle expressing questioning. / Suffix. | v1,p0027#01 | p.691#04 | p.864r6c01 |
作 | 人+5 | 胙 𢓓 | zuò ㄗㄨㄛˋ | Arise, stand up. / Grow, flourish. / Begin. / Create, make. / Work, effort. / Serve as, work as. / When, at such time as. | v1,p0134#06 | p.99#07 | p.99r3c01 |
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. | ||||||
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 |
必 | 心+1 | bì ㄅㄧˋ | surely, most certainly; must | v4,p2267#02 | p.375#02 | p.522r5c01 | |
顺 | 页+3 | 㥧 巡 𠈼 顺 | shùn ㄕㄨㄣˋ | obey, submit to, go along with | v7,p4357#05 | p.1399#17 | p.1475r3c01 |
天 | 大+1 | 𠀡 𠀘 𦴞 兲 靝 𠕹 | tiān ㄊㄧㄢ | sky, heaven; god, celestial | v1,p0522#01 | p.248#04 | p.358r4c01 |
时 | 日+6 | 旹 时 | shí ㄕˊ | Season. / Unit of time equal to two hours. / [The passage of] time. / Time, times. / Age, period, epoch. / Occasion, opportune moment. / On time. / Then, at that time. / Always, constantly. / Same as “伺(1)” sì ㄙˋ: Wait until, wait for (a chance). | v2,p1505#05 | p.494#22 | p.639r3c04 |
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. | ||||||
朝 | 月+8 | 晁 | zhāo ㄓㄠ | Morning. / Beginning. | v3,p2084#08 | p.506#03 | p.661r1c01 |
cháo ㄔㄠˊ | Meet in court. / Call the ministers to court. / Court, place where ministers meet with the ruler. / Visit, go to see. / Meet together, gather. | ||||||
夕 | 夕+0 | xī xì ㄒㄧ ㄒㄧˋ | evening, night, dusk; slanted | v2,p0859#01 | p.246#01 | p.336r4c01 | |
放 | 攴+4 | 匸 | fàng fǎng ㄈㄤˋ ㄈㄤˇ | put, release, free, liberate | v2,p1451#11 | p.469#03 | p.600r3c03 |
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 |
日 | 日+0 | 𡆸 | rì mì ㄖˋ ㄇㄧˋ | sun; day; daytime | v2,p1482#01 | p.489#01 | p.627r1c01 |
月 | 月+0 | yuè ㄩㄝˋ | moon; month; KangXi radical 74 | v3,p2041#01 | p.504#19 | p.655r4c05 | |
高 | 高+0 | 髙 | gāo gào ㄍㄠ ㄍㄠˋ | high, tall; lofty, elevated | v7,p4593#01 | p.1451#26 | p.1514r4c03 |
丘 | 一+4 | 丠 㐀 丘 㘳 | qiū ㄑㄧㄡ | hill; elder; empty; a name | v1,p0017#01 | p.77#14 | p.36r4c01 |
陵 | 阜+8 | 陵 夌 𨻪 䧙 | líng ㄌㄧㄥˊ | hill, mound; mausoleum | v6,p4134#06 | p.1354#06 | p.1426r3c01 |
下 | 一+2 | 丅 厥 𠄟 | xià ㄒㄧㄚˋ | under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down | v1,p0007#01 | p.76#10 | p.28r1c01 |
川 | 巛+0 | 巛 | chuān ㄔㄨㄢ | stream, river; flow; boil | v1,p0032#02 | p.323#23 | p.462r2c02 |
泽 | 水+13 | 沢 㚖 泽 | zé duó shì yì ㄗㄜˊ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄕˋ ㄧˋ | marsh, swamp; grace, brilliance; damp, moist; fertile | v3,p1757#01 | p.652#44 | p.834r1c02 |
雨 | 雨+0 | 𠕒 𠕘 𠕲 𩁼 㲾 驭 | yǔ yù ㄩˇ ㄩˋ | rain; rainy; KangXi radical 173 | v6,p4057#01 | p.1371#18 | p.1446r4c03 |
君子 | 口+4 子+0 | 𠱩 𠱭 㜽 𢀈 𢀉 𡐫 𣕓 只 | jūnzǐ ㄐㄩㄣㄗˇ | (2) 有道德的人。 A moral man. | v1,p0595#06 v2,p1006#06 | p.177#07 p.277#01 | p.256r6c08 p.395r1c01 |
达 | 辵+9 | 达 | dá tà tì ㄉㄚˊ ㄊㄚˋ ㄊㄧˋ | arrive at, reach; intelligent | v6,p3855#01 | p.1262#10 | p.1328r1c01 |
亹 | 亠+19 | wěi mén ㄨㄟˇ ㄇㄣˊ | progress; busy, untiring; exert | v1,p0294#12 | p.90#01 | p.80r1c02 | |
尚 | 小+5 | 尙 | shàng cháng ㄕㄤˋ ㄔㄤˊ | still, yet; even; fairly, rather | v1,p0563#05 | p.297#11 | |
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. | ||||||
德 | 彳+12 | 惪 悳 | dé ㄉㄜˊ | Morals, morality. / Good deeds. / Good fortune. / Reward kindness, thank. / Heart, feelings. / Same as “得(1.1)” dé ㄉㄜˊ: Get, obtain. | v2,p0841#17 | p.371#08 | p.518r3c01 |
尊 | 寸+9 | zūn ㄗㄨㄣ | respect, revere, venerate; honor | v1,p0509#06 | p.295#10 | p.435r4c01 | |
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. | ||||||
任 | 人+4 | 仼 | rèn rén ㄖㄣˋ ㄖㄣˊ | trust to, rely on, appoint; to bear, duty, office; allow | v1,p0122#06 | p.94#24 | p.88r6c05 |
能 | 肉+6 | néng ㄋㄥˊ | A type of bear. / Ability, talent. / Man of ability, man of talent. / Able to, competent. / Comply with, be friendly towards. / Encompass, obtain. / To, arrive at. / Then, thus. / Same as “而(4.3)” ér ㄦˊ: Connective: if, supposing. / Only, merely. / Even if. / Thus, in this way. / Three-legged turtle. | v3,p2074#01 | p.981#16 | p.1095r5c02 | |
nài ㄋㄞˋ | Withstand, endure. | ||||||
tái ㄊㄞˊ | Same as “台(1.1)” tái ㄊㄞˊ: Name of a celestial body. | ||||||
tài ㄊㄞˋ | State, form. | ||||||
举 | 臼+10 | 擧 㪯 举 | jǔ ㄐㄩˇ | raise, lift up; recommend | v5,p3041#08 | p.1005#15 | p.1114r3c01 |
贤 | 贝+8 | 臤 贒 贤 | xián ㄒㄧㄢˊ | virtuous, worthy, good; able | v6,p3646#06 | p.1209#28 | p.1276r5c02 |
置 | 网+8 | 置 𦌃 𦌤 𦋽 𦋲 | zhì ㄓˋ | Release, pardon. / Give up, abandon. / Place, put. / Establish, put in place. / Buy, purchase. / A post, a stage. / Coach, carriage. | v4,p2919#02 | p.948#20 | p.1065r3c01 |
聚 | 耳+8 | jù ㄐㄩˋ | assemble, meet together, collect | v4,p2791#18 | p.967#41 | p.1084r1c01 | |
众 | 目+6 | 衆 𠂝 𥅫 𠱧 众 | zhòng ㄓㄨㄥˋ | masses, people, multitude, crowd | v4,p2917#04 | p.807#15 | p.951r1c02 |
誓 | 言+7 | 𣂶 𣂯 | shì ㄕˋ | swear, pledge; oath | v6,p3973#05 | p.1162#01 | p.1245r3c04 |
Enjoy this site? Please help. | Site design and content copyright 2006-2024. When quoting or citing information from this site, please link to the corresponding page or to https://ctext.org/ens. Please note that the use of automatic download software on this site is strictly prohibited, and that users of such software are automatically banned without warning to save bandwidth. 沪ICP备09015720号-3 | Comments? Suggestions? Please raise them here. |