Analects 1.11
The Analects (論語), BOOK I. HSIO R 學而第一
子曰、父在、觀其志、父沒、觀其行、三年無改於父之道、可謂孝矣。
The Master said, "While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 父fùfather, dad
- 在zàiat, in, on; to exist; used to indicate t
- 觀guānto observe, to spectate; appearance, vie
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 志zhìdetermination, will; mark, sign; to reco
- 沒méinot, none, gone; to bury; to sink, to dr
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 三sānthree
- 年niányear; anniversary; a person's age
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 改gǎito alter, to change, to improve, to remo
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 孝xiàofilial piety, obedience; mourning
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 4.20
- Mencius 3A.2
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Mencius 4A.14
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi The Great Supreme
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.