Classical Words of the Day: March 31st, 2015

已yi3
already.   (已 does not imply a change in state, but a change in knowledge of state.  The following quote uses 已 after verb-less noun predicates.)

亂luan4
disorderly, chaotic

是亂國已
One can tell this is a disorderly country.  (苟Gou3 10/89)



君子jun1zi3
Gentleman, scholar, sage

妄wang4
reckless

亦yi4
also, too, likewise

矣yi3
(particle of completed action)

曰yue1
says

君子曰：此亦妄人也已矣。
The gentleman will say, "I now realize that this is a wild, reckless fellow."  (Mencius 4B/28)




Reference:  Pulleyblank, Edwin G. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver [B.C.: UBC, 1995. Print.

Classical Words of the Day: March 30th, 2015

必bi4
Necessarily, must

若ruo4
like, similar to

桀jie2; 紂zhou1
(Proper nouns)

必若桀紂者也
...will necessarily be one like Jie or Zhou.  (Mencius 5A/6)



固gu4
certainly, definitely

願yuan4
desire, want

所suo3
this, it (this is a demonstrative pronoun)

固所願也
It is certainly what I want (Mencius 2B/10)




Reference:  Pulleyblank, Edwin G. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver [B.C.: UBC, 1995. Print.

Classical Words of the Day: March 26th, 2015

乃nai3, 即ji2
then, thereupon

仁ren2
humanity

術shu4
technique

是乃仁術也
This indeed is the technique of humanity (Mencius 1A/7)

貺kuang1
to reward

乃夫子也。 吾貺子。
It was then you.  I will reward you.  (Zuo3 Ding4 9/5)

Reference:  Pulleyblank, Edwin G. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver [B.C.: UBC, 1995. Print.

Classical Words of the Day: March 25th, 2015

是shi4, 此ci3, 斯si1
This

**Note:  是 is not like the modern copula "to be."

勇yong3
courage

此文王之勇也
This was King Wen's courage.  (Mencius 1B/3)

走zou3
running away, flee

是亦走也
This was also running away. (Mencius 1A/3)



皆jie1
"all", similar to the modern 都

聖人sheng4ren2
sage.  A wise man.  Not the plant.

皆方聖人也
They are all sages of old.  (Mencius 2A/2)

Reference:  Pulleyblank, Edwin G. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver [B.C.: UBC, 1995. Print.

Classical Words of the Day: March 24th, 2015

夫fu1
the interrogative for "is it not? are we not?"

盡jin4
finished, all, end, exhaust

與yu3
and, with, for

之zhi1
possessive pronoun for "it," "he," "she," etc.


夫非盡人之子與
Are we not all the sons of men?  (Mencius 7A/36)



Reference:  Pulleyblank, Edwin G. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver [B.C.: UBC, 1995. Print.

Classical Words of the Day: March 23rd, 2015

非fei1
Not

也ye3
(An end particle with no meaning)

Typical form:  A 非 B 也。

非我也，兵也。
It was not I, it was the weapon.  (Mencius 1A/B)

是不為也， 非不能也。
This is not doing, it is not not-being-able. (Mencius 1A/7)


Reference:  Pulleyblank, Edwin G. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver [B.C.: UBC, 1995. Print.