Analects 14.25
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIV. HSIEN WAN 憲問第十四
子曰、古之學者爲己、今之學者爲人。
The Master said, "In ancient times, men learned with a view to their own improvement. Now-a-days, men learn with a view to the approbation of others."
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
- 古gǔold, classic, ancient
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 學xuélearning, knowledge, science; to study,
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 己jǐself, oneself; personal, private; 6th he
- 今jīnmodern, current; today, now
- 人rénman, person; people
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi The Empire
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Mencius 3A.4
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.