名不正，則言不順

Chinese
 
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

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.]
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.]
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.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): míng bù zhèng, zé yán bù shùn
    (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄥˋ , ㄗㄜˊ ㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄣˋ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: míng bù zhèng, zé yán bù shùn [Phonetic: míng bú zhèng, zé yán bú shùn]
      • Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄥˋ , ㄗㄜˊ ㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄨㄣˋ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: míng bù jhèng, zé yán bù shùn
      • Wade–Giles: ming2 pu4 chêng4, tsê2 yen2 pu4 shun4
      • Yale: míng bù jèng-, dzé yán bù shwùn
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ming bu jenq, tzer yan bu shuenn
      • Palladius: мин бу чжэн, цзэ янь бу шунь (min bu čžɛn, czɛ janʹ bu šunʹ)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /miŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ jɛn³⁵⁻⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʂu̯ən⁵¹/

Proverb

名不正，則言不順

  1. You must first properly define an issue in order to talk about it intelligently.

Synonyms
  • 名不正，言不順／名不正，言不顺
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