不恥下問

See also: 不耻下问

Chinese

		not; no	shame; disgrace	to ask someone who is less learned or of lesser status than oneself
trad. (不恥下問)		不	恥	下問
simp. (不耻下问)		不	耻	下问

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 5 (《論語·公冶長》):

子貢問曰：「孔文子何以謂之文也？」子曰：「敏而好學，不恥下問，是以謂之文也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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子贡问曰：「孔文子何以谓之文也？」子曰：「敏而好学，不耻下问，是以谓之文也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

Zǐgòng wèn yuē: “Kǒng Wén Zǐ héyǐ wèi zhī wén yě?” Zǐ yuē: “Mǐn ér hào xué, bù chǐ xiàwèn, shìyǐ wèi zhī wén yě.” [Pinyin]

Zigong asked, saying, "On what ground did Kong Wen get that title of Wen?" The Master said, "He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors! On these grounds he has been styled Wen."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bùchǐxiàwèn

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄨˋ ㄔˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄨㄣˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): bat¹ ci² haa⁶ man⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bùchǐxiàwèn
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄔˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄨㄣˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bùchǐhsiàwùn
    • Wade–Giles: pu⁴-chʻih³-hsia⁴-wên⁴
    • Yale: bù-chř-syà-wèn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: buchyyshiahwenn
    • Palladius: бучисявэнь (bučisjavɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ wən⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: bat¹ ci² haa⁶ man⁶
    • Yale: bāt chí hah mahn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: bat⁷ tsi² haa⁶ man⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: bed¹ qi² ha⁶ men⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰiː³⁵ haː²² mɐn²²/

Idiom

不恥下問

1. to be not ashamed to learn from one's subordinates