禮之用,和為貴

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Chinese

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gift; propriety; rite 's; him/her/it; this to use
mix together; peace; harmony
mix together; peace; harmony; and; with; union; cap (a poem); respond in singing; soft; warm
 
because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
expensive; noble; your (name)
expensive; noble; your (name); precious
 
trad. (禮之用,和為貴/禮之用,和爲貴) /
simp. (礼之用,和为贵)

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 1 (《論語·學而》):

有子:「禮之用和為貴先王不可。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
有子:「礼之用和为贵先王不可。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Yǒuzǐ yuē: “Lǐ zhī yòng, hé wéi guì. Xiānwáng zhī dào sī wéi měi, xiǎo dà yóu zhī. Yǒu suǒ bù xíng, zhī hé ér hé, bù yǐ lǐ jié zhī, yì bùkě xíng yě.” [Pinyin]
The philosopher You said, "In practicing the rules of propriety, a natural ease is to be prized. In the ways prescribed by the ancient kings, this is the excellent quality, and in things small and great we follow them. Yet it is not to be observed in all cases. If one, knowing how such ease should be prized, manifests it, without regulating it by the rules of propriety, this likewise is not to be done."

Pronunciation

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Proverb

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禮之用,和為貴

  1. In carrying out the rules of propriety, ease of manner is to be prized.