Chinese Text Project Dictionary

Chinese Text Project	Chinese Text Project
	Simplified Chinese version

Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Outer Chapters -> Knowledge Rambling in the North -> 7.3

于是泰清问乎无穷曰：	Hereupon Grand Purity asked Infinitude, saying,
“子知道乎？”	'Do you know the Dao?'
无穷曰：“吾不知。”	'I do not know it,' was the reply.
又问乎无为。	He then asked Do-nothing,
无为曰：	Who replied,
“吾知道。”	'I know it.'
曰：“子之知道，亦有数乎？”	Is your knowledge of it determined by various points?
曰：“有。”	It is.
曰：“其数若何？”	What are they?
无为曰：	Do-nothing said,
“吾知道之可以贵，	'I know that the Dao may be considered noble,
可以贱，	and may be considered mean,
可以约，	that it may be bound and compressed,
可以散。	and that it may be dispersed and diffused.
此吾所以知道之数也。”	These are the marks by which I know it.'
泰清以之言也问乎无始，	Grand Purity took the words of those two, and asked No-beginning,
曰：	saying,
“若是，	'Such were their replies;
则无穷之弗知，与无为之知，孰是而孰非乎？”	which was right? and which was wrong? Infinitude's saying that he did not know it? or Do-nothing's saying that he knew it?'
无始曰：	No-beginning said,
“不知深矣，	'The "I do not know it" was profound,
知之浅矣；	and the "I know it" was shallow.
弗知内矣，	The former had reference to its internal nature;
知之外矣。”	the latter to its external conditions.'
于是泰清中而叹曰：	Grand Purity looked up and sighed, saying,
“弗知乃知乎！	'Is "not to know it" then to know it?
知乃不知乎！	And is "to know it" not to know it?
孰知不知之知？”	But who knows that he who does not know it (really) knows it?'
无始曰：	No-beginning replied,
“道不可闻，	'The Dao cannot be heard;
闻而非也；	what can be heard is not It.
道不可见，	The Dao cannot be seen;
见而非也；	what can be seen is not It.
道不可言，	The Dao cannot be expressed in words;
言而非也。	what can be expressed in words is not It.
知形形之不形乎？	Do we know the Formless which gives form to form?
道不当名。”	In the same way the Dao does not admit of being named.'

Character	Composition	Variants	Reading	Meaning	Hanyu	Kangxi	Cihai
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
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
泰	水+5	夳	tài ㄊㄞˋ	great, exalted, superior; big	v3,p1577#03	p.618#15	p.784r4c02
清	水+8	淸	qīng qìng ㄑㄧㄥㄑㄧㄥˋ	clear, pure, clean; peaceful	v3,p1637#11	p.633#37
问	口+8	𠳅问	wèn ㄨㄣˋ	Ask, inquire. / Investigate, look into. / Inquire after, give regards to. / Interrogate, question. / Visit (another states). / Research, investigate. / Give, present with. / Tell. / Sound. / Same as “闻(7)” wèn ㄨㄣˋ: Reputation, fame.	v7,p4284#03	p.195#10	p.279r3c03
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
无	火+8	𣟒𣚨𠘩无无	wú ㄨˊ	Not have. / Philosophical category referring to absence, non-existence, or vacuity. / Adverb expressing negation: not. / Adverb expressing questioning: or not. / Connective: regardless of. / Connective: even if. / Particle used at the beginning of a sentence, no meaning. / Do not. / Barren, uncultivated.	v3,p2211#15	p.673#26	p.848r2c04
穷	穴+10	竆穷	qióng ㄑㄩㄥˊ	poor, destitute, impoverished	v4,p2737#12	p.867#10	p.1000r6c05
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
数	攴+11	数	shù shǔ cù shuò ㄕㄨˋ ㄕㄨˇ ㄘㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄛˋ	number; several; count; fate	v2,p1474#01	p.475#04	p.607r4c01
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.
若	草+5	若𦱡𦱶𧁇	ruò ㄖㄨㄛˋ	Iris. / Same as “北海若” běi hǎi ruò ㄅㄟˇ ㄏㄞˇ ㄖㄨㄛˋ: Ruo, a god of the Northern Sea. / Go by, accord with. / Choose. / Like, similar to. / Identical, the same. / As good as, comparable to. / To, arrive at. / You, your. / This way, like this. / Regarding, as regards. / If, should it be the case. / Or, alternatively. / But, yet. / Adjectival suffix.	v5,p3187#07	p.1023#12	p.1130r1c03
何	人+5		hé ㄏㄜˊ	Ask, enquire. / What. / Who, which one. / How, in what way. / Why, for what reason. / Where, in what place. / How much, to what extent.	v1,p0130#04	p.98#15	p.97r2c04
			hē ㄏㄜ	Criticize, condemn.
			hè ㄏㄜˋ	Carry on one's back. / Bear, carry a burden.
可	口+2	歌厥	kě kè ㄎㄜˇ ㄎㄜˋ	may, can, -able; possibly	v1,p0567#07	p.172#12	p.244r1c02
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
贵	贝+5	𡭙𧸋贵	guì ㄍㄨㄟˋ	expensive, costly, valuable	v6,p3632#09	p.1206#15	p.1271r6c01
贱	贝+8	𧶤贱	jiàn ㄐㄧㄢˋ	mean, low; cheap, worthless	v6,p3647#05	p.1209#35	p.1277r3c03
约	糸+3	约	yuē yāo yào dì ㄩㄝㄧㄠㄧㄠˋ ㄉㄧˋ	treaty, agreement, covenant	v5,p3364#15	p.915#21	p.1029r4c03
散	攴+8	枚	sàn sǎn ㄙㄢˋ ㄙㄢˇ	scatter, disperse, break up	v2,p1465#15	p.472#34	p.605r4c03
此	止+2		cǐ ㄘˇ	This. / Like this. / Here. / Adverb: then.	v2,p1438#03	p.574#10	p.735r4c01
吾	口+4	𠮣	wú ㄨˊ	First person pronoun: I, we. / Defend, resist.	v1,p0585#13	p.180#03	p.260r5c01
			yú ㄩˊ	See 吾吾.
			yá ㄧㄚˊ	Yunyu, an ancient district.
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
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
言	言+0	訁𢍗𢍬	yán ㄧㄢˊ	Speak, say. / Discuss, debate. / Tell. / Doctrine, theory, words. / One word. / Sentence. / Particle, no meaning.	v6,p3936#01	p.1146#01	p.1236r5c03
始	女+5	𠃭乨兘𠙉	shǐ ㄕˇ	begin, start; then, only then	v2,p1041#12	p.258#16	p.381r1c02
则	刀+7	𠟻𠟭𠞋𠟔则	zé ㄗㄜˊ	Method, rule. / Mimic, emulate. / Level, grade. / Adverb used to emphasize an assertion. / Adverb used to express scope: only. / Connective expressing continuation: then, and then. / Connective emphasizing comparison. / Connective expressing contrast. / Connective expressing allowance: yet, even so. / Connective expressing unexpected turn of events. / Connective expressing suppostion: if.	v1,p0340#06	p.139#31	p.183r5c05
弗	弓+2		fú ㄈㄨˊ	not, negative	v2,p0990#09	p.356#16	p.500r5c01
与	臼+8	与𢌱𦦲𠔔	yǔ ㄩˇ	Give. / Follow, go along with. / Comrade, ally. / Association, contact. / Oppose. / Engage [an enemy]. / Approve, consent to. / Help. / Wait. / Preposition indicating passive tense. / Preposition: to, with. / Preposition: with. / Preposition: as. / Preposition: in, on. / Connective: and, with. / Connective: with its ... / Connective: or.	v1,p0251#04	p.1004#13	p.1113r2c03
			yù ㄩˋ	Participate, take part in.
			yǔ ㄩˇ	Interfere in.
			yú ㄩˊ	Auxiliary word: used at the end of a sentence to express questioning , exclamation, or a rhetorical question. / Auxiliary word: used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause.
孰	子+8	塾	shú ㄕㄨˊ	who? which? what? which one?	v2,p1016#14	p.280#05	p.403r1c03
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.
非	非+0		fēi ㄈㄟ	Violate, go against (a rule). / Wrong, bad. / Not real, untrue. / Oppose, object to. / Slander, condemn. / Sarcasm, irony. / Absence of, not have. / Adverb: not, is not.	v6,p4086#01	p.1382#11	p.1463r6c02
			fěi ㄈㄟˇ	Same as “诽(2)” fěi ㄈㄟˇ: Slander.
深	水+8	𣸧	shēn ㄕㄣ	deep; depth; far; very, extreme	v3,p1662#10	p.632#01	p.806r2c03
矣	矢+2	𠤘	yǐ ㄧˇ	Modal particle used to express declaration. / Modal particle used to express exclamation. / Modal particle used to express an order or request.	v4,p2580#04	p.823#37	p.955r5c01
浅	水+8	浅	qiǎn jiān jiàn cán zàn ㄑㄧㄢˇ ㄐㄧㄢㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄘㄢˊ ㄗㄢˋ	shallow, not deep; superficial	v3,p1646#02	p.632#18	p.810r5c02
内	入+2	𡗠内	nèi nà ㄋㄟˋ ㄋㄚˋ	inside, interior; domestic	v1,p0097#02	p.125#35	p.141r5c02
外	夕+2	𡖄舀	wài ㄨㄞˋ	out, outside, external; foreign	v2,p0860#01	p.246#02	p.336r4c02
中	丨+3	𠁧𠁩冢	zhōng zhòng ㄓㄨㄥㄓㄨㄥˋ	central; center, middle; in the midst of; hit (target); attain	v1,p0028#10	p.79#03	p.37r4c02
叹	欠+11	叹	tàn ㄊㄢˋ	sigh, admire	v3,p2149#08	p.571#24	p.731r2c05
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
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.
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.
形	彡+4		xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ	Body, thing with form. / Human body. / Form, appearance. / Lay of the land. / Circumstances. / Condition, situation. / Form, create. / Exhibit, show. / Compare. / Mould, die. / Same as “刑(4.1)” xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ: Law, rules of punishment. / Same as “鉶” xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ: Porcelain soup bowl.	v2,p0852#10	p.363#06	p.507r4c01
不	一+3	不𠀚𠙐	bù ㄅㄨˋ	Not have. / To not be. / Negational adverb, used before verbs, adjectives, etc. to indicate negation. / Negational adverb expressing prohibition: do not. / Negational adverb expressing rhetorical question: is not...?	v1,p0011#06	p.76#15	p.30r1c01
			fǒu ㄈㄡˇ	Same as “否(1.2)” fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used together with an affirmative word, expressing its negative or opposite. / Same as “否(1.3)” fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used at the end of a question to form a yes-no question.
			fū ㄈㄨ	Sepal of a flower.
			pī ㄆㄧ	Same as “丕(1)” pī ㄆㄧ: Large.
			bǐ ㄅㄧˇ	Show disdain for.
当	田+8	𤱭当当	dāng ㄉㄤ	Suit, match. / Comply, conform to. / Administer, be in charge of. / Take charge of. / Resist, oppose. / Equal to, equivalent. / Face towards. / Should, must. / At, of (some place or time). / Cast sentence. / Will.	v4,p2546#06	p.764#18	p.917r3c03
			dàng ㄉㄤˋ	Suitable, appropriate. / As, for the purpose of, in the capacity of. / Give as security. / Bottom, base.
			tǎng ㄊㄤˇ	If, supposing.
			cháng ㄔㄤˊ	Once, previously.
名	口+3		míng ㄇㄧㄥˊ	Name. / Writing. / To name, give a name to. / Call, refer to as. / Title, name of. / Title, status. / Fame, recognition. / Famous, well-known. / Large. / Between the eyebrows and eyelashes. / The School of Names.	v1,p0582#06	p.175#09	p.254r2c01

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