一言興邦

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See also: 一言兴邦

Chinese

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one sentence; something to say; brief remark to make a nation prosper
trad. (一言興邦) 一言 興邦
simp. (一言兴邦) 一言 兴邦

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 13 (《論語·子路》):

:「一言可以興邦?」
孔子:「可以:『不易。』一言興邦?」
[Classical Chinese, trad.]
:「一言可以兴邦?」
孔子:「可以:『不易。』一言兴邦?」
[Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Dìng Gōng wèn: “Yīyán ér kěyǐ xìngbāng, yǒu zhū?”
Kǒngzǐ duì yuē: “Yán bù kěyǐ ruò shì qí jī yě. Rén zhī yán yuē: ‘Wéi jūn nán, wéi chén bùyì.’ Rú zhī wéi jūn zhī nán yě, bù jī hū yīyán ér xìngbāng hū?”
[Pinyin]
The Duke Ding (鲁定公) asked whether there was a single sentence which could make a country prosperous.
Confucius replied, "Such an effect cannot be expected from one sentence. There is a saying, however, which people have ― 'To be a prince is difficult; to be a minister is not easy.' If a ruler knows this ― the difficulty of being a prince ― may there not be expected from this one sentence the prosperity of his country?"

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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一言興邦

  1. One inspirational sentence can revitalize a nation.