Mencius 4B.15
Mencius (孟子), Book 4, Part II: Li Lou II 離婁下
孟子曰：「博學而詳說之，將以反說約也。」
Mencius said, 'In learning extensively and discussing minutely what is learned, the object of the superior man is that he may be able to go back and set forth in brief what is essential.'
James Legge (1861), The Works of Mencius, The Chinese Classics vol. 2 (1861; 2nd ed. 1895); romanization modernized on Wikisource — public domain.
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 博bóto gamble, to play games; to win; rich,
- 學xuélearning, knowledge, science; to study,
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 詳xiángcomplete, detailed, thorough
- 說shuōto speak, to say; to scold, to upbraid
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 將jiāngthe future, what will be; ready, prepare
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 反fǎnreverse, opposite; contrary, anti-
- 約yuētreaty, covenant, agreement
- 也yěalso, too
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 19.6
- Mencius 2A.2
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Analects 12.15
- Zhuangzi The Empire
- Zhuangzi Exercise of Faculties
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.