君子一言，駟馬難追

Chinese
 
junzi; man of virtue; high-minded person
junzi; man of virtue; high-minded person; noble person; superior person
 one sentence; something to say; brief remark words cannot be taken back once they are spoken
trad. (君子一言，駟馬難追) 君子 一言 ， 駟馬難追
simp. (君子一言，驷马难追) 君子 一言 ， 驷马难追

Etymology

Based on passages in the Analects:

子貢曰：「惜乎！夫子之說君子也。駟不及舌。……」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子贡曰：「惜乎！夫子之说君子也。驷不及舌。……」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
Zǐgòng yuē: “Xī hū! Fūzǐ zhī shuō jūnzǐ yě. Sì bùjí shé.......” [Pinyin]
Zigong said: "How regrettable are your words about the superior person. A four-horse-team cannot overtake the tongue. [...]"
子貢曰：「君子一言以為知，一言以為不知，言不可不慎也。……」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子贡曰：「君子一言以为知，一言以为不知，言不可不慎也。……」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
Zǐgòng yuē: “Jūnzǐ yīyán yǐwèi zhī, yīyán yǐwèi bùzhī, yán bùkě bùshèn yě.......” [Pinyin]
Zigong said: "The superior person, by speaking once, is taken as wise, by speaking once, is taken as unwise; one cannot afford to speak carelessly. [...]"

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): jūnzǐ yīyán, sìmǎ nánzhuī
    (Zhuyin): ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ , ㄙˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: jūnzǐ yīyán, sìmǎ nánzhuī [Phonetic: jūnzǐ yìyán, sìmǎ nánzhuī]
      • Zhuyin: ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ , ㄙˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: jyunzǐh yiyán, sìhmǎ nánjhuei
      • Wade–Giles: chün1-tzŭ3 i1-yen2, ssŭ4-ma3 nan2-chui1
      • Yale: jyūn-dž yī-yán-, sz̀-mǎ nán-jwēi
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiuntzyy iyan, syhmaa nanjuei
      • Palladius: цзюньцзы иянь, сыма наньчжуй (czjunʹczy ijanʹ, syma nanʹčžuj)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ sz̩⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

Proverb

君子一言，駟馬難追

  1. a gentleman must keep his promises
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