行不由徑

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Chinese

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to go; to do; capable
to go; to do; capable; all right; competent; OK; to travel; temporary; to walk; will do; behaviour; conduct; a row; profession; professional
 
not; no
follow; from; it is for...to
follow; from; it is for...to; reason; cause; because of; due to; by; to; to leave it (to someone)
 
path
trad. (行不由徑)
simp. (行不由径)
Literally: “to not take bypaths”.

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 6 (《論語·雍也》):

子游武城子曰:「?」:「澹臺滅明行不由徑公事未嘗至於。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子游武城子曰:「?」:「澹台灭明行不由径公事未尝至于。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyóu wèi Wǔchéng zǎi. Zǐyuē: “Rǔ dé rén yān ěr hū?” Yuē: “Yǒu Tántái Mièmíng zhě, xíng bù yóu jìng. Fēi gōngshì, wèicháng zhìyú Yǎn zhī shì yě.” [Pinyin]
Ziyou being governor of Wucheng, the Master said to him, "Have you got good men there?" He answered, "There is Tantai Mieming, who never in walking takes a short cut, and excepting on public business never comes to my office."

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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行不由徑

  1. to act justly and honestly