摩頂放踵

Chinese

		rub	go against; most; peak go against; most; peak; top; to replace; to substitute; a measure word (use with "hat")	to release; to free; to let go to release; to free; to let go; to put; to place; to let out	arrive; follow; heel
trad. (摩頂放踵)		摩	頂	放	踵
simp. (摩顶放踵)		摩	顶	放	踵
Literally: “to have hair rubbed away and heel grazed (because of walking to everywhere to help people)”.

Etymology

From Mencius's comment about Yangism and Mohism:

孟子曰：「楊子取為我，拔一毛而利天下，不為也。墨子兼愛，摩頂放踵利天下，為之。子莫執中，執中為近之，執中無權，猶執一也。所惡執一者，為其賊道也，舉一而廢百也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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孟子曰：「杨子取为我，拔一毛而利天下，不为也。墨子兼爱，摩顶放踵利天下，为之。子莫执中，执中为近之，执中无权，犹执一也。所恶执一者，为其贼道也，举一而废百也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Yángzǐ qǔ wèi wǒ, bá yī máo ér lì tiānxià, bù wèi yě. Mòzǐ jiān'ài, mó dǐng fàng zhǒng lì tiānxià, wèi zhī. Zǐmò zhí zhōng, zhí zhōng wèi jìn zhī, zhí zhōng wú quán, yóu zhí yī yě. Suǒ è zhí yī zhě, wèi qí zéi dào yě, jǔ yī ér fèi bǎi yě.” [Pinyin]

Mencius said, 'The principle of the philosopher Yang was "Each one for himself." Though he might have benefited the whole kingdom by plucking out a single hair, he would not have done it. The philosopher Mo loves all equally. If by rubbing smooth his whole body from the crown to the heel, he could have benefited the kingdom, he would have done it. Zi Mo holds a medium between these. By holding that medium, he is nearer the right. But by holding it without leaving room for the exigency of circumstances, it becomes like their holding their one point. The reason why I hate that holding to one point is the injury it does to the way of right principle. It takes up one point and disregards a hundred others.'

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): módǐngfàngzhǒng, módǐngfǎngzhǒng

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄛˊ ㄉㄧㄥˇ ㄈㄤˋ ㄓㄨㄥˇ, ㄇㄛˊ ㄉㄧㄥˇ ㄈㄤˇ ㄓㄨㄥˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): mo¹ ding² fong³ zung², mo¹ ding² fong³ dung²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: módǐngfàngzhǒng
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄛˊ ㄉㄧㄥˇ ㄈㄤˋ ㄓㄨㄥˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: módǐngfàngjhǒng
    • Wade–Giles: mo²-ting³-fang⁴-chung³
    • Yale: mwó-dǐng-fàng-jǔng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: modiingfanqjoong
    • Palladius: модинфанчжун (modinfančžun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mu̯ɔ³⁵ tiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɑŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: módǐngfǎngzhǒng [Phonetic: módíngfángzhǒng]
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄛˊ ㄉㄧㄥˇ ㄈㄤˇ ㄓㄨㄥˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: módǐngfǎngjhǒng
    • Wade–Giles: mo²-ting³-fang³-chung³
    • Yale: mwó-dǐng-fǎng-jǔng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: modiingfaangjoong
    • Palladius: модинфанчжун (modinfančžun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mu̯ɔ³⁵ tiŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ fɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: mo¹ ding² fong³ zung², mo¹ ding² fong³ dung²
    • Yale: mō díng fong júng, mō díng fong dúng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: mo¹ ding² fong³ dzung², mo¹ ding² fong³ dung²
    • Guangdong Romanization: mo¹ ding² fong³ zung², mo¹ ding² fong³ dung²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɔː⁵⁵ tɪŋ³⁵ fɔːŋ³³ t͡sʊŋ³⁵/, /mɔː⁵⁵ tɪŋ³⁵ fɔːŋ³³ tʊŋ³⁵/

Idiom

摩頂放踵

1. to dedicate oneself completely to the welfare of mankind