曾參殺人

Chinese

		Zengzi	to kill someone; to murder
trad. (曾參殺人)		曾參	殺人
simp. (曾参杀人)		曾参	杀人

Etymology

A tale in Zhan Guo Ce:

昔者曾子處費，費人有與曾子同名族者而殺人，人告曾子母曰：「曾參殺人。』曾子之母曰：『吾者不殺人。』置自若。有頃焉，人又曰：『曾參殺人。』其母尚置自若也。頃之，一人又告之曰：『曾參殺人。』其母懼，投杼逾牆而走。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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昔者曾子处费，费人有与曾子同名族者而杀人，人告曾子母曰：「曾参杀人。』曾子之母曰：『吾者不杀人。』置自若。有顷焉，人又曰：『曾参杀人。』其母尚置自若也。顷之，一人又告之曰：『曾参杀人。』其母惧，投杼逾墙而走。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

Xīzhě Zēngzǐ chù Fèi, Fèi rén yǒu yǔ Zēngzǐ tóng míng zú zhě ér shārén, rén gào Zēngzǐ mǔ yuē: “Zēng Shēn shārén.’ Zēngzǐ zhī mǔ yuē: ‘Wú zhě bù shārén.’ Zhì zìruò. Yǒuqǐng yān, rén yòu yuē: ‘Zēng Shēn shārén.’ Qí mǔ shàng zhì zìruò yě. Qǐngzhī, yīrén yòu gào zhī yuē: ‘Zēng Shēn shārén.’ Qí mǔ jù, tóu zhù yú qiáng ér zǒu. [Pinyin]

In the past when Zengzi (real name Zeng Shen) was living in Fei County, there was a man who had the same name as him committed murder. Somebody then informed Zengzi’s mother, “Zeng Shen committed murder.” Zengzi's mother replied, “My son will never commit a murder,” and she kept calm. A short while later, another person informed her, “Zeng Shen committed murder.” She still kept calm. A short while later, yet another person informed her, “Zeng Shen committed murder.” Zengzi's mother feared, cast aside her weaving shuttle, leapt across the walls, and fled.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Zēng Shēn shārén

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄥ ㄕㄣ ㄕㄚ ㄖㄣˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zang¹ sam¹ saat³ jan⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Zēng Shēn shārén
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄥ ㄕㄣ ㄕㄚ ㄖㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Zeng Shen sharén
    • Wade–Giles: Tsêng¹ Shên¹ sha¹-jên²
    • Yale: Dzēng Shēn shā-rén
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Tzeng Shen sharen
    • Palladius: Цзэн Шэнь шажэнь (Czɛn Šɛnʹ šažɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɤŋ⁵⁵ ʂən⁵⁵ ʂä⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zang¹ sam¹ saat³ jan⁴
    • Yale: jāng sām saat yàhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzang¹ sam¹ saat⁸ jan⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: zeng¹ sem¹ sad³ yen⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ saːt̚³ jɐn²¹/

Idiom

曾參殺人

1. (figurative) Used as an example to show that the effects of rumours can be fearsome.