名不正，則言不順
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See also: 名不正，则言不顺
Chinese[edit]
name; fame; to describe name; fame; to describe; place |
not; no | just (right); main; upright just (right); main; upright; straight; correct; principle; Chinese 1st month of year |
(expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm (expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm; rule; to imitate; to follow; then; principle |
to speak; to say; talk to speak; to say; talk; word |
not; no | to obey; to follow; to arrange to obey; to follow; to arrange; to make reasonable; along; favourable | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (名不正，則言不順) | 名 | 不 | 正 | ， | 則 | 言 | 不 | 順 | |
| simp. (名不正，则言不顺) | 名 | 不 | 正 | ， | 则 | 言 | 不 | 顺 | |
Etymology[edit]
From the Analects, Book 13 (《論語·子路》):
- 名不正，則言不順；言不順，則事不成；事不成，則禮樂不興；禮樂不興，則刑罰不中；刑罰不中，則民無所措手足。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Míng bù zhèng, zé yán bù shùn; yán bù shùn, zé shì bù chéng; shì bù chéng, zé lǐyuè bù xīng; lǐyuè bù xīng, zé xíngfá bù zhòng; xíngfá bù zhòng, zé mín wú suǒ cuò shǒu zú. [Pinyin]
- If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot.
名不正，则言不顺；言不顺，则事不成；事不成，则礼乐不兴；礼乐不兴，则刑罚不中；刑罚不中，则民无所措手足。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation[edit]
Proverb[edit]
名不正，則言不順
- You must first properly define an issue in order to talk about it intelligently.