三軍可奪帥，匹夫不可奪志

Chinese

		the three armies	can; may; able to can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)	rob; snatch	commander in chief; handsome; graceful commander in chief; handsome; graceful; smart		ordinary man; the common people; the masses ordinary man; the common people; the masses; ordinary citizens	cannot; should not; must not	rob; snatch	the will
trad. (三軍可奪帥，匹夫不可奪志)		三軍	可	奪	帥	，	匹夫	不可	奪	志
simp. (三军可夺帅，匹夫不可夺志)		三军	可	夺	帅	，	匹夫	不可	夺	志

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 9 (《論語·子罕》):

子曰：「三軍可奪帥也，匹夫不可奪志也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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子曰：「三军可夺帅也，匹夫不可夺志也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐyuē: “Sānjūn kě duó shuài yě, pǐfū bùkě duó zhì yě.” [Pinyin]

The Master said, "The commander of the forces of a large state may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): sānjūn kě duó shuài, pǐfū bùkě duózhì

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄕㄨㄞˋ , ㄆㄧˇ ㄈㄨ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄓˋ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: sānjūn kě duó shuài, pǐfū bùkě duózhì
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄕㄨㄞˋ , ㄆㄧˇ ㄈㄨ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄓˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sanjyun kě duó shuài, pǐfu bùkě duójhìh
    • Wade–Giles: san¹-chün¹ kʻo³ to² shuai⁴, pʻi³-fu¹ pu⁴-kʻo³ to²-chih⁴
    • Yale: sān-jyūn kě dwó shwài-, pǐ-fū bù-kě dwó-jr̀
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sanjiun kee dwo shuay, piifu bukee dwojyh
    • Palladius: саньцзюнь кэ до шуай, пифу букэ дочжи (sanʹczjunʹ kɛ do šuaj, pifu bukɛ dočži)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ³⁵ ʂu̯aɪ̯⁵¹ pʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

Idiom

三軍可奪帥，匹夫不可奪志

1. One's will and aspirations will remain persistent and not waver