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不孝有三,無後為大

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chinese

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unfilial; contrary to filial piety
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 
three without progeny
because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
big; great; huge
big; great; huge; large; major; wide; deep; oldest; eldest; doctor
 
trad. (不孝有三,無後為大/不孝有三,無後爲大) 不孝 無後 /
simp. (不孝有三,无后为大) 不孝 无后

Etymology

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From Mencius:

孟子:「不孝無後無後君子以為。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
孟子:「不孝无后无后君子以为。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE
Mèngzǐ yuē: “Bùxiào yǒu sān, wúhòu wéi . Shùn bù gào ér qǔ, wéi wúhòu yě, jūnzǐ yǐwèi yóu gào yě.” [Pinyin]
Mencius said, 'There are three things which are unfilial, and to have no posterity is the greatest of them. Shun married without informing his parents because of this, lest he should have no posterity. Superior men consider that his doing so was the same as if he had informed them.'

Pronunciation

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Proverb

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不孝有三,無後為大

  1. There are three ways to be unfilial; the worst is to not produce offspring.