君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 君 | 子 | 交 | 淡 | 水 | 如 |
| くん Grade: 3 |
し Grade: 1 |
まじ Grade: 2 |
あわ Grade: S |
みず Grade: 1 |
ごと Grade: S |
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | ||||
Etymology
Calque of Literary Chinese 君子之交淡如水 (jūnzǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ) from Zhuangzi:
- 君子之交淡如水，小人之交甘若醴。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
- From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
- Jūnzǐzhījiāodànrúshuǐ, xiǎorénzhījiāogānruòlǐ. [Pinyin]
- The friendship between men of virtue is clear like water (of no flavor, but free of harmful substances -- i.e. self-interest). The friendship between lesser men is sweet like wine (lacking true substance).
Can be analyzed as follow: 君子 (“man of virtue”) + の + 交わり (“friendship”) + は + 淡き (“flavorless”) + こと + 水 (“water”) + の + 如し (“like”).
Proverb
君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し • (kunshi no majiwari wa awaki koto mizu no gotoshi)
- true friendship between two people of accomplishment needs not be overly demonstrative
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