君子一言，駟馬難追

See also: 君子一言，驷马难追

Chinese

		junzi; man of virtue; high-minded person junzi; man of virtue; high-minded person; noble person; superior person	one sentence; something to say; brief remark		words cannot be taken back once they are spoken
trad. (君子一言，駟馬難追)		君子	一言	，	駟馬難追
simp. (君子一言，驷马难追)		君子	一言	，	驷马难追

Etymology

Based on passages in the Analects:

子貢曰：「惜乎！夫子之說君子也。駟不及舌。……」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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子贡曰：「惜乎！夫子之说君子也。驷不及舌。……」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

Zǐgòng yuē: “Xī hū! Fūzǐ zhī shuō jūnzǐ yě. Sì bùjí shé.......” [Pinyin]

Zigong said: "How regrettable are your words about the superior person. A four-horse-team cannot overtake the tongue. [...]"

子貢曰：「君子一言以為知，一言以為不知，言不可不慎也。……」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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子贡曰：「君子一言以为知，一言以为不知，言不可不慎也。……」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

Zǐgòng yuē: “Jūnzǐ yīyán yǐwèi zhī, yīyán yǐwèi bùzhī, yán bùkě bùshèn yě.......” [Pinyin]

Zigong said: "The superior person, by speaking once, is taken as wise, by speaking once, is taken as unwise; one cannot afford to speak carelessly. [...]"

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jūnzǐ yīyán, sìmǎ nánzhuī

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ , ㄙˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jūnzǐ yīyán, sìmǎ nánzhuī [Phonetic: jūnzǐ yìyán, sìmǎ nánzhuī]
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ , ㄙˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jyunzǐh yiyán, sìhmǎ nánjhuei
    • Wade–Giles: chün¹-tzŭ³ i¹-yen², ssŭ⁴-ma³ nan²-chui¹
    • Yale: jyūn-dž yī-yán-, sz̀-mǎ nán-jwēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiuntzyy iyan, syhmaa nanjuei
    • Palladius: цзюньцзы иянь, сыма наньчжуй (czjunʹczy ijanʹ, syma nanʹčžuj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ sz̩⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

Proverb

君子一言，駟馬難追

1. a gentleman must keep his promises

Related terms

• 一言既出，駟馬難追／一言既出，驷马难追 (yīyánjìchū, sìmǎnánzhuī)