Analects 9.21
The Analects (論語), BOOK IX. TSZE HAN 子罕第九
子曰、苗而不秀者、有矣夫、秀而不實者、有矣夫。
The Master said, "There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower! There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced!"
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
- 苗miáosprouts; Miao nationality
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 秀xiùelegant, graceful, refined; flowing, lux
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 實shíreal, true; honest, sincere
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 14.7
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi The Old Fisherman
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Mencius 3B.10
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.