Analects 19.9
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIX. TSZE-CHANG 子張第十九
子夏曰、君子有三變、望之儼然、卽之也溫、聽其言也厲。
Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is firm and decided."
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
- 夏xiàsummer; the Xia or Hsia dynasty
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 三sānthree
- 變biànto change, to transform, to alter; rebel
- 望wàngto expect, to hope, to look forward to
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 儼yǎngrave, respectful; majestic
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 卽jípromptly
- 也yěalso, too
- 溫wēnwarm, lukewarm
- 聽tīngto hear, to listen; to understand; to ob
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 厲lìwhetstone; to grind, to sharpen, to whet
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.