三軍可奪帥，匹夫不可奪志

Chinese
the three armies
 
can; may; able to
can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)
 rob; snatch
 
commander in chief; handsome; graceful
commander in chief; handsome; graceful; smart
 
ordinary man; the common people; the masses
ordinary man; the common people; the masses; ordinary citizens
 cannot; should not; must not rob; snatch the will
trad. (三軍可奪帥，匹夫不可奪志) 三軍 可 奪 帥 ， 匹夫 不可 奪 志
simp. (三军可夺帅，匹夫不可夺志) 三军 可 夺 帅 ， 匹夫 不可 夺 志

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 9 (《論語·子罕》):

子曰：「三軍可奪帥也，匹夫不可奪志也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子曰：「三军可夺帅也，匹夫不可夺志也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyuē: “Sānjūn kě duó shuài yě, pǐfū bùkě duó zhì yě.” [Pinyin]
The Master said, "The commander of the forces of a large state may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him."

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): sānjūn kě duó shuài, pǐfū bùkě duózhì
    (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄕㄨㄞˋ , ㄆㄧˇ ㄈㄨ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄓˋ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: sānjūn kě duó shuài, pǐfū bùkě duózhì
      • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄕㄨㄞˋ , ㄆㄧˇ ㄈㄨ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄨㄛˊ ㄓˋ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: sanjyun kě duó shuài, pǐfu bùkě duójhìh
      • Wade–Giles: san1-chün1 kʻo3 to2 shuai4, pʻi3-fu1 pu4-kʻo3 to2-chih4
      • Yale: sān-jyūn kě dwó shwài-, pǐ-fū bù-kě dwó-jr̀
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sanjiun kee dwo shuay, piifu bukee dwojyh
      • Palladius: саньцзюнь кэ до шуай, пифу букэ дочжи (sanʹczjunʹ kɛ do šuaj, pifu bukɛ dočži)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ³⁵ ʂu̯aɪ̯⁵¹ pʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ fu⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ tu̯ɔ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

Idiom

三軍可奪帥，匹夫不可奪志

  1. One's will and aspirations will remain persistent and not waver
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