孺子可教

Chinese

		child; young person	can; may; able to can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)	teach; teaching; religion
trad. (孺子可教/孺子可敎)		孺子	可	教/敎
simp. (孺子可教)		孺子	可	教

Etymology

From the story of Zhang Liang meeting his master (translation was adapted from Xinhua News Agency):

良嘗閒從容步游下邳圯上，有一老父，衣褐，至良所，直墮其履圯下，顧謂良曰：「孺子，下取履！」良鄂然，欲毆之。為其老，彊忍，下取履。父曰：「履我！」良業為取履，因長跪履之。父以足受，笑而去。良殊大驚，隨目之。父去里所，復還，曰：「孺子可教矣。後五日平明，與我會此。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

良尝闲从容步游下邳圯上，有一老父，衣褐，至良所，直堕其履圯下，顾谓良曰：「孺子，下取履！」良鄂然，欲殴之。为其老，强忍，下取履。父曰：「履我！」良业为取履，因长跪履之。父以足受，笑而去。良殊大惊，随目之。父去里所，复还，曰：「孺子可教矣。后五日平明，与我会此。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Liáng cháng xián cóngróng bù yóu xiàpī yí shàng, yǒu yī lǎofù, yì hè, zhì Liáng suǒ, zhí duò qí lǚ yí xià, gù wèi Liáng yuē: “Rúzǐ, xià qǔ lǚ!” Liáng èrán, yù ōu zhī. Wèi qí lǎo, qiángrěn, xià qǔ lǚ. Fù yuē: “Lǚ wǒ!” Liáng yè wèi qǔ lǚ, yīn cháng guì lǚ zhī. Fù yǐ zú shòu, xiào ér qù. Liáng shū dàjīng, suí mù zhī. Fù qù lǐ suǒ, fù hái, yuē: “Rúzǐkějiào yǐ. Hòu wǔ rì píngmíng, yǔ wǒ huì cǐ.” [Pinyin]

One day, Zhang Liang took a stroll on a bridge in Xiapi and met an old man in clothes made with coarse fibre there. The man walked toward Zhang and chucked his shoe down the bridge on purpose, after which he yelled at Zhang, "Hey boy, go down and fetch me my shoe!" Zhang was astonished. At first he wanted to beat the old man, but considering that the man was old, he then controlled his temper, and went down the bridge to take the shoe for him. The old man then told Zhang, “Put on the shoe for me!” Zhang kneeled and put the shoe on the old man's feet considering that he had already took the shoe for him. The man did not show any sign of gratitude and walked away laughing. Zhang felt surprised and looked at the old man. The old man came back after walking a distance and praised Zhang: "This child can be taught! Meet me here again at dawn five days later."

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): rúzǐkějiào

(Zhuyin): ㄖㄨˊ ㄗˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄧㄠˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): jyu⁴ zi² ho² gaau³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: rúzǐkějiào [Phonetic: rúzíkějiào]
  - Zhuyin: ㄖㄨˊ ㄗˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄧㄠˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: rúzǐhkějiào
  - Wade–Giles: ju²-tzŭ³-kʻo³-chiao⁴
  - Yale: rú-dž-kě-jyàu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: rutzyykeejiaw
  - Palladius: жуцзыкэцзяо (žuczykɛczjao)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐu³⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: jyu⁴ zi² ho² gaau³
  - Yale: yùh jí hó gaau
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁴ dzi² ho² gaau³
  - Guangdong Romanization: yu⁴ ji² ho² gao³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː²¹ t͡siː³⁵ hɔː³⁵ kaːu̯³³/

Idiom

孺子可教

a young person can be taught