Analects 12.20
The Analects (論語), BOOK XII. YEN YUAN 顏淵第十二
子張問士何如、斯可謂之達矣。子曰、何哉、爾所謂達者。子張對曰、在邦必聞、在家必聞。子曰、是聞也、非達也。夫達也者、質直而好義、察言而觀色、慮以下人、在邦必達、在家必達。夫聞也者、色取仁而行違、居之不疑、在邦必聞、在家必聞。
1. Tsze-chang asked, "What must the officer be, who may be said to be distinguished?"
2. The Master said, "What is it you call being distinguished?"
3. Tsze-chang replied, "It is to be heard of through the State, to be heard of throughout his clan."
4. The Master said, "That is notoriety, not distinction.
5. "Now the man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words, and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others. Such a man will be distinguished in the country; he will be distinguished in his clan.
6. "As to the man of notoriety, he assumes the appearance of virtue, but his actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubts about himself. Such a man will be heard of in the country; he will be heard of in the clan."
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 張zhāngto display; to expand, to open; to stret
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 士shìscholar, gentleman; soldier
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 斯sīthis, thus, such; emphatic particle; use
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 達dáto reach, to arrive at; intelligent
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 爾ěryou; that, those; final particle
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 對duìcorrect, right; facing, opposed
- 在zàiat, in, on; to exist; used to indicate t
- 邦bāngcountry, nation, state
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 聞wénnews; to hear, to smell; to make known
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 也yěalso, too
- 非fēinot, negative, non-; to oppose
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 質zhìessence, nature; material, substance
- 直zhístraight, vertical; candid, direct, fran
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 察cháto examine, to investigate, to observe
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 觀guānto observe, to spectate; appearance, vie
- 色sècolor, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; s
- 慮lǜanxious, concerned, worried
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 人rénman, person; people
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 違wéito violate, to disobey, to defy; to sepa
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 疑yíto doubt, to question, to suspect
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
- Analects 12.2
- Zhuangzi Autumn Floods
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.