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心悅誠服

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chinese

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heart; mind pleased to be completely convinced; to sincerely admire; to submit sincerely
trad. (心悅誠服) 誠服
simp. (心悦诚服) 诚服

Etymology

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From Mencius (《孟子·公孫丑上》):

以德服人誠服七十孔子 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
以德服人诚服七十孔子 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Yǐ lì fú rén zhě, fēi xīn fú yě, lì bù shàn yě; yǐ dé fú rén zhě, zhōngxīn yuè ér chéngfú yě, rú qīshí zǐ zhī fú Kǒngzǐ yě. [Pinyin]
When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit, because their strength is not adequate to resist. When one subdues men by virtue, in their hearts' core they are pleased, and sincerely submit, as was the case with the seventy disciples in their submission to Confucius.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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心悅誠服

  1. to be sincerely convinced; to sincerely admire; to submit willingly