Classical Chinese/Lesson 1

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[edit] Text

子曰：「學而時習之　不亦說乎　有朋自遠方來　不亦樂乎　人不知而不慍　不亦君子乎」

[edit] Explanation

• 子曰: "The master (Confucius) says" or "The master (Confucius) said". Chinese language has no tense.
  • 子: (zi3) pronoun used to address to a teacher or master. 子 is a respectful form of address to a man, here used to address 孔子 (Confucius). Other similar uses include:
    • 孟子: (meng4 zi) Mencius
    • 孫子: (sun1 zi) Sun Tzu

In this case, it is assumed by the author that the learned reader will know who spoke the following quote, so it is not necessary to give the exact identity of the speaker.

• • 曰: (yue1) verb to say. 曰 is one of frequently used words for the verb "to say" in Classical Chinese. However, 曰 is not the only frequently used word for "say".
• 學而時習之　不亦說乎: Learn and practice often (what you have learned), isn't it pleasant?
  • 學而時習之: Learn and often practice
    • 學: (xué) verb to learn.
    • 而: (ér) and
    • 時: (shí) often; sometimes
    • 習: (xí) verb to practice.
    • 之: (zhī) pronoun third person, meaning it or them.
  • 不亦說乎: It is happy,isn't it?
    • 不: (bū) not
    • 亦: (yì) also(but in this sentence it is meaningless)
    • 說: (yuè) "adj" pleasant. This is a 通假 to 悅.
    • 乎: (hū) (a word for question)
  • 有朋自遠方來:There is(are) friend(s) come from a distant place.
    • 有: (yǒu) there be(have)
    • 朋: (péng) "noun" friend
    • 自: (zì) "preposition"from
    • 遠: (yuǎn) "adj" far,distant
    • 方: (fāng) "noun" place
    • 來: (lái) "verb" come
  • 不亦樂乎: It's enjoyable, isn't it?
    • 不: (bú) not
    • 亦: (yì) also (meaningless)
    • 樂: (lè) "adj" enjoyable
    • 乎: (hū) (a word for question)
  • 人不知而不慍: [When] other people don't know [him], not to be angry, isn’t it (also) like a gentleman should act?
    • 人: (rén) "noun" people, person
    • 不: (bù) not
    • 知: (zhī) "verb" know, understand
    • 而: (ér) but
    • 不: (bú) not
    • 慍: (yùn) "adj." angry
    • 不: (bú) not
    • 亦: (yì) also (meaningless)
  • 君子: (jūn zǐ) "adj." gentlemanly, like a gentleman should act
    • 乎: (hū) a word for question

[edit] Grammar

This grammar sections reveals that Classical Chnese in many aspects is close to English:

• subject precedes the verb: 朋來 (péng lái) friend(s) came
• object is put after the verb: 習之 (xí zhī) practice it
• adjectives used attributively precede nouns: 遠方: (yuǎn fāng) distant place

However, there are notable differences:

• questions are formed by adding a marker at the end (usually it's 乎 /hū/, but other markers also exist)
• no linking verb is used with adjectives: 說乎 (yuè hū) is it pleasant?
  • In fact, Chinese adjectives are close to verbs (說 /yuè/ 'to be pleasant, 遠 (yuǎn) 'to be distant'). As you'll see, those two classes share many similar features, including the fact that they both can be negated with 不 (bù), unlike nouns.

If you looked up words in the dictionary, you may have noticed that sometimes part of speech marked there doesn't match that in the dictionary:

• • 君子 (jūn zǐ) is given as "noun" gentleman, not as "adj." gentlemanly, like a gentleman should act

It is because of a process called conversion: one part of speech can become another one. This process can also occur in English: I love her (it's verb), my love (it's noun).