| Chinese Text Project |
| 易有聖人之道四焉； | In the Yi there are four things characteristic of the way of the sages. |
| 以言者尚其辭， | We should set the highest value on its explanations to guide us in speaking; |
| 以動者尚其變， | on its changes for (the initiation of) our movements; |
| 以制器者尚其象， | on its emblematic figures for (definite action as in) the construction of implements; |
| 以卜筮者尚其占。 | and on its prognostications for our practice of divination. |
| 以君子將有為也，將有行也， | Therefore, when a superior man is about to take action of a more private or of a public character, |
| 問焉而以言， | he asks (the Yi), making his inquiry in words. |
| 其受命也如響， | It receives his order, and the answer comes as the echo's response. |
| 无有遠近幽深， | Be the subject remote or near, mysterious or deep, |
| 遂知來物。 | he forthwith knows of what kind will be the coming result. |
| 非天下之至精， | (If the Yi) were not the most exquisite thing under heaven, |
| 其孰能與於此。 | would it be concerned in such an operation as this? |
| Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 易 | 日+4 | 易 | yì ㄧˋ | change; easy | v2,p1494#01 | p.492#03 | p.633r6c01 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 聖人 | 耳+7 人+0 | 堊 𦕡 𠄵 圣 𠔽 亻 | shèng rén ㄕㄥˋ ㄖㄣˊ | 出類拔萃的人。 Sage, outstanding person. | v4,p2789#06 v1,p0101#10 | p.967#22 p.91#01 | p.1082r6c06 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 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 四 | 囗+2 | 𦉭 肆 | sì ㄙˋ | four | v1,p0710#16 | p.216#22 | p.294r6c01 |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 尚 | 小+5 | 尙 | shàng cháng ㄕㄤˋ ㄔㄤˊ | still, yet; even; fairly, rather | v1,p0563#05 | p.297#11 | |
| 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. | ||||||
| 辭 | 辛+12 | 辞 辤 𤔧 | cí ㄘˊ | Confession. / Speech, phrase, language. / Excuse, reason. / Tell, explain. / Refuse, not accept. / Dispatch, expel. / Bid farewell. / A form of writing in ancient China. | v6,p4043#13 | p.1252#08 | p.1310r3c02 |
| 動 | 力+9 | 㣫 𨔝 动 | dòng ㄉㄨㄥˋ | move, happen; movement, action | v1,p0375#06 | p.148#14 | p.196r4c02 |
| 變 | 言+16 | 変 𢒟 𢒪 𢒦 变 | biàn ㄅㄧㄢˋ | Change, alteration. / Movement. / Adapt to, accommodate. / Event, incident. / Disaster. / Unusual event. | v2,p1481#07 | p.1186#12 | p.1257r6c06 |
| 制 | 刀+6 | 𠜔 𠝦 𠝁 𠛐 製 | zhì ㄓˋ | system; establish; overpower | v1,p0335#01 | p.139#02 | p.181r6c04 |
| 器 | 口+13 | 噐 𡄛 | qì ㄑㄧˋ | receptacle, vessel; instrument | v1,p0690#07 | p.210#02 | p.291r3c03 |
| 象 | 豕+5 | 𤉢 𧰼 | xiàng ㄒㄧㄤˋ | elephant; ivory; figure, image | v6,p3611#09 | p.1195#21 | p.1262r5c04 |
| 卜 | 卜+0 | 𠁡 蔔 | bǔ ㄅㄨˇ | fortune telling; prophesy | v1,p0091#11 | p.157#25 | p.223r3c02 |
| 筮 | 竹+7 | shì ㄕˋ | divination with stalks of plants; divining rod | v5,p2972#04 | p.885#23 | p.1014r4c05 | |
| 占 | 卜+3 | 佔 | zhān zhàn ㄓㄢ ㄓㄢˋ | divine; observe; versify | v1,p0092#05 | p.157#30 | p.223r6c02 |
| 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 |
| 將 | 寸+8 | 𤕭 𢪇 将 畺 | jiāng ㄐㄧㄤ | Take. / Use. / Push forward. / Drive. / Help, support. / Help financially. / Advance, go forward. / Carry out, execute. / Follow. / Comply, submit. / Do, carry out. / Accompany, see off. / Transmit. / Express. / Offer (as a sacrifice). / Look after, raise. / Protect. / Strong, robust. / Long time. / Carry, lead. / Side, beside. / Will, about to. / Close to, almost. / How? / Preposition: with. / Connective: and, with. / Connective: or, otherwise. / Connective: if, supposing. / Particle used after a verb. / A kind of insect. | v4,p2375#10 | p.294#16 | p.434r1c03 |
| jiàng ㄐㄧㄤˋ | Command troops. / Military commander. / Appoint as military commander. | ||||||
| qiāng ㄑㄧㄤ | Please, humbly request. / [Onomatopoeia] | ||||||
| zāng ㄗㄤ | Female sheep. | ||||||
| 為 | 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. | ||||||
| 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 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 問 | 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 「聞(7)」 wèn ㄨㄣˋ: Reputation, fame. | v7,p4284#03 | p.195#10 | p.279r3c03 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 受 | 又+6 | 𠭧 | shòu ㄕㄡˋ | receive, accept, get; bear, stand | v1,p0396#02 | p.166#05 | p.236r5c01 |
| 命 | 口+5 | mìng ㄇㄧㄥˋ | Order, command. / Written order, commandment. / Send (on a mission), dispatch. / A (diplomatic) mission. / Force, make do. / Instruct, tell. / Gift given by a ruler to his ministers by rank. / Will of heaven. / Fate. / Life, lifespan. / Call, name, assign a name to. / Know for certain. | v1,p0604#11 | p.183#18 | p.266r6c01 | |
| 如 | 女+3 | rú ㄖㄨˊ | Go to. / According to, in accordance with. / Like, similar to. / As good as, comparable to. / Should. / Or, alternatively. / If, should it be the case. / As for, as regards. / Adjectival suffix. | v2,p1025#09 | p.255#21 | p.378r5c02 | |
| 響 | 音+11 | 𡪥 𡪆 响 | xiǎng ㄒㄧㄤˇ | make sound, make noise; sound | v7,p4498#10 | p.1398#02 | p.1474r4c02 |
| 无 | 无+0 | 𠑶 無 | wú mó ㄨˊ ㄇㄛˊ | negative, no, not; KangXi radical 71 | v2,p1147#12 | p.485#23 | p.626r2c04 |
| 遠 | 辵+10 | 逺 𨖸 𢕱 远 | yuǎn ㄩㄢˇ | Far off, remote (in distance). / Consider to be far off. / Long time. / Large or numerous differences. / Profound. / Forward looking and ambitious. / Remote, far-off place. / Far off countries. | v6,p3869#07 | p.1263#12 | p.1329r5c01 |
| yuàn ㄩㄢˋ | Leave, exit. / Keep away from, avoid. / Violate (a rule). | ||||||
| 近 | 辵+4 | 𣥍 | jìn jì ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄐㄧˋ | near, close; approach; intimate | v6,p3819#12 | p.1254#07 | p.1312r1c07 |
| 幽 | 幺+6 | 凼 | yōu ㄧㄡ | quiet, secluded, tranquil; dark | v2,p1094#08 | p.342#12 | p.485r5c03 |
| 深 | 水+8 | 𣸧 | shēn ㄕㄣ | deep; depth; far; very, extreme | v3,p1662#10 | p.632#01 | p.806r2c03 |
| 遂 | 辵+9 | 𨒉 𨔱 𨓸 𨔲 | suì ㄙㄨㄟˋ | Ditch between fields. / Waterway. / Pass through. / Succeed, go well. / Finished, past. / Grow up, bring up. / Favourable, as hoped. / Follow. / Not interfere with. / Advance. / Item used in archery. / Distant suburbs. / Adverb: finally, at last. / Adverb: and then, thereupon. / Part of a clock. / Distant, far off. / Name of a state in ancient China. | v6,p3862#03 | p.1260#32 | p.1328r5c01 |
| zhuì ㄓㄨㄟˋ | Fall. | ||||||
| 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. | ||||||
| 來 | 人+6 | 來 来 徠 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 勞來. | ||||||
| 物 | 牛+4 | wù ㄨˋ | thing, substance, creature | v3,p1805#03 | p.699#09 | p.869r5c01 | |
| 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 「誹(2)」 fěi ㄈㄟˇ: Slander. | ||||||
| 天下 | 大+1 一+2 | 𠀡 𠀘 𦴞 兲 靝 𠕹 丅 厥 𠄟 | tiān xià ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ | 世界。 "All under heaven", the world. | v1,p0522#01 v1,p0007#01 | p.248#04 p.76#10 | p.358r4c01 p.28r1c01 |
| 至 | 至+0 | 𦤳 𦤴 𦤵 𡊏 | zhì dié ㄓˋ ㄉㄧㄝˊ | reach, arrive; extremely, very | v4,p2814#01 | p.1001#11 | p.1111r3c04 |
| 精 | 米+8 | 精 | jīng qíng jìng ㄐㄧㄥ ㄑㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄥˋ | essence; semen; spirit | v5,p3150#11 | p.910#10 | |
| 孰 | 子+8 | 塾 | shú ㄕㄨˊ | who? which? what? which one? | v2,p1016#14 | p.280#05 | p.403r1c03 |
| 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. | ||||||
| 與 | 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. | ||||||
| 於 | 方+4 | 烏 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 |
| 此 | 止+2 | cǐ ㄘˇ | This. / Like this. / Here. / Adverb: then. | v2,p1438#03 | p.574#10 | p.735r4c01 |
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