述而不作
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Chinese[edit]
to state; to tell; to narrate to state; to tell; to narrate; to relate |
and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast) |
not; no | to regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do to regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do; to make | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (述而不作) | 述 | 而 | 不 | 作 | |
simp. #(述而不作) | 述 | 而 | 不 | 作 |
Etymology[edit]
From the Analects, Book 7 (《論語·述而》):
- 子曰:「述而不作,信而好古,竊比於我老彭。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐyuē: “Shù ér bùzuò, xìn ér hàogǔ, qiè bǐ yú wǒ Lǎopéng.” [Pinyin]
- The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with the Venerable Peng."
子曰:「述而不作,信而好古,窃比于我老彭。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
The identity of 老彭 was unclear. According to the Elder Dai's Book of Rites (《大戴禮記》), a wise nobleman of the Shang-era bore that appellation.
Pronunciation[edit]
Idiom[edit]
述而不作
- (literary) to refrain from unwarranted innovations; to resist the temptation to speculate
Usage notes[edit]
Typically used in the context of historiography, textual criticism, classical studies, translation, etc.
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