己所不欲,勿施於人

Chinese

6th heavenly stem; self actually; place; (nominalization prefix) not; no
 
desire; longing; appetite
desire; longing; appetite; wish
do not
 
distribute (alms); to do; to execute
distribute (alms); to do; to execute; to carry out
 
in; at; to
in; at; to; from; by; than; out of; surname
man; person; people
trad. (己所不欲,勿施於人)
simp. (己所不欲,勿施于人)

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 12 (《論語·顏淵》):

仲弓子曰:「出門使己所不欲,勿施於人。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
仲弓子曰:「出门使己所不欲,勿施于人。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zhònggōng wèn rén. Zǐyuē: “Chūmén rú jiàn dà bīn, shǐ mín rú chéng dà jì. Jǐ suǒ bù yù, wù shī yú rén. Zài bāng wú yuàn, zài jiā wú yuàn.” [Pinyin]
Zhonggong asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family."

Pronunciation


Idiom

己所不欲,勿施於人

  1. Do not do unto others what you would not like others to do unto yourself.

Descendants

  • Japanese: 己の欲せざる所は人に施すなかれ (calque) (kundoku form)
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