格物

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Chinese

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frame; rule thing; object; matter
simp. and trad.
(格物)

Etymology

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From the Great Learning (《大學》) in the Book of Rites:

明德天下格物 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
明德天下格物 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Gǔ zhī yù míng míngdé yú tiānxià zhě, xiān zhì qí guó; yù zhì qí guó zhě, xiān qí qí jiā; yù qí qí jiā zhě, xiān xiū qí shēn; yù xiū qí shēn zhě, xiān zhèng qí xīn; yù zhèng qí xīn zhě, xiān chéng qí yì; yù chéng qí yì zhě, xiān zhì qí zhī, zhì zhī zài géwù. [Pinyin]
The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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格物

  1. (literary) to investigate the nature of things; to study the underlying principles

Derived terms

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Noun

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格物

  1. (obsolete) Alternative name for 格致 (gézhì, “natural science”).