Analects 5.14
The Analects (論語), BOOK V. KUNG-YE CH'ANG 公冶長第五
子貢問曰、孔文子、何以謂之文也。子曰、敏而好學、不恥下問、是以謂之文也。
Tsze-kung asked, saying, "On what ground did Kung-wan get that title of Wan?" The Master said, "He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors!—On these grounds he has been styled Wan."
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
- 貢gòngto offer, to contribute; tribute, gifts
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 文wénculture, literature, writing
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 也yěalso, too
- 敏mǐnfast, quick; clever, smart
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 學xuélearning, knowledge, science; to study,
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 恥chǐshame, humiliation; ashamed
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.