禮之用，和為貴

Chinese
gift; propriety; rite 's; him/her/it; this to use
 
mix together; peace; harmony
mix together; peace; harmony; and; with; union; cap (a poem); respond in singing; soft; warm
 
because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
expensive; noble; your (name)
expensive; noble; your (name); precious
trad. (禮之用，和為貴/禮之用，和爲貴) 禮 之 用 ， 和 為/爲 貴
simp. (礼之用，和为贵) 礼 之 用 ， 和 为 贵

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 1 (《論語·學而》):

有子曰：「禮之用，和為貴。先王之道斯為美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以禮節之，亦不可行也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
有子曰：“礼之用，和为贵。先王之道斯为美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以礼节之，亦不可行也。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Yǒuzǐ yuē: “Lǐ zhī yòng, hé wéi guì. Xiānwáng zhī dào sī wéi měi, xiǎo dà yóu zhī. Yǒu suǒ bù xíng, zhī hé ér hé, bù yǐ lǐ jié zhī, yì bùkě xíng yě.” [Pinyin]
The philosopher You said, "In practicing the rules of propriety, a natural ease is to be prized. In the ways prescribed by the ancient kings, this is the excellent quality, and in things small and great we follow them. Yet it is not to be observed in all cases. If one, knowing how such ease should be prized, manifests it, without regulating it by the rules of propriety, this likewise is not to be done."

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǐ zhī yòng, hé wéi guì
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧˇ ㄓ ㄩㄥˋ , ㄏㄜˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄍㄨㄟˋ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: lǐ zhī yòng, hé wéi guì
      • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧˇ ㄓ ㄩㄥˋ , ㄏㄜˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄍㄨㄟˋ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: lǐ jhih yòng, hé wéi guèi
      • Wade–Giles: li3 chih1 yung4, ho2 wei2 kuei4
      • Yale: lǐ jr̄ yùng-, hé wéi gwèi
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lii jy yonq, her wei guey
      • Palladius: ли чжи юн, хэ вэй гуй (li čži jun, xɛ vɛj guj)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ jʊŋ⁵¹ xɤ³⁵ weɪ̯³⁵⁻⁵⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

Proverb

禮之用，和為貴

  1. In carrying out the rules of propriety, ease of manner is to be prized.
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