涅而不緇
Chinese
| blacken | and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast) |
not; no | Buddhists; black silk; dark | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (涅而不緇) | 涅 | 而 | 不 | 緇 | |
| simp. (涅而不缁) | 涅 | 而 | 不 | 缁 | |
Etymology
From the Analects, Book 17 (《論語·陽貨》):
- 不曰堅乎，磨而不磷；不曰白乎，涅而不緇。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Bù yuē jiān hū, mó ér bù lín; bù yuē bái hū, niè ér bù zī. [Pinyin]
- But is it not said, that, if a thing be really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is it not said, that, if a thing be really white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being made black?
不曰坚乎，磨而不磷；不曰白乎，涅而不缁。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Synonyms
- 出淤泥而不染 (chū yūní ér bù rǎn)
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