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朝聞道,夕死可矣

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Chinese

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morning; to face; towards
morning; to face; towards; facing; direct; a dynasty; the imperial court; Korea, esp. N. Korea (abbrev.)
 
hear; news; celebrated
hear; news; celebrated; sniff at
 
direction; way; method
direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk
 
dusk; evening
to die; impassable; uncrossable
to die; impassable; uncrossable; inflexible; rigid
 
can; may; able to
can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)
 
final particle
trad. (朝聞道,夕死可矣)
simp. (朝闻道,夕死可矣)

Etymology

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From the Analects, Book 4 (《論語·里仁》):

子曰:「朝聞道,夕死可矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子曰:「朝闻道,夕死可矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyuē: “Zhāo wén dào, xī sǐ kě yǐ. [Pinyin]
The Master said, "If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening without regret."

Pronunciation

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Proverb

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朝聞道,夕死可矣

  1. if in the morning I were to gain knowledge of the correct path in life, I would be able to die at sunset without regrets

Descendants

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  • Japanese: 朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり (ashita ni michi o kikaba yūbe ni shisu tomo ka nari) (calque)