約法三章

See also: 约法三章

Chinese

		appointment; agreement; to arrange appointment; agreement; to arrange; to restrict; approximately; weigh	law; method; way law; method; way; Buddhist teaching; Legalist; France (abbrev.)	three	chapter; seal; section
trad. (約法三章)		約	法	三	章
simp. (约法三章)		约	法	三	章

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約法三章

Etymology

From Shiji, Volume 8:

父老苦秦苛法久矣，誹謗者族，偶語者棄市。吾與諸侯約，先入關者王之，吾當王關中。與父老約，法三章耳：殺人者死，傷人及盜抵罪。餘悉除去秦法。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

父老苦秦苛法久矣，诽谤者族，偶语者弃市。吾与诸侯约，先入关者王之，吾当王关中。与父老约，法三章耳：杀人者死，伤人及盗抵罪。余悉除去秦法。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Shiji, Volume 8

Fùlǎo kǔ qín kē fǎ jiǔ yǐ, fěibàng zhě zú, ǒuyǔ zhě qìshì. Wú yǔ zhūhóu yuē, xiān rùguān zhě wáng zhī, wú dāng wáng guānzhōng. Yǔ fùlǎo yuē, fǎ sān zhāng ěr: shārén zhě sǐ, shāngrén jí dào dǐ zuì. Yú xī chúqù qín fǎ. [Pinyin]

Elders are suffering from Qin's draconian law for a long time: those who libel had their family exterminated, those who whisper were publicly executed in markets. I have promised with other feudal rulers that the person who first entered the pass (Hangu Pass) would become the king (of Guanzhong), and I shall reign as the king of Guanzhong. I also promise with elders that there will be only three laws: murderers shall be punished with death, those who hurt others and steal from others shall be punished according to their offence. The rest of Qin laws are repealed.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): yuēfǎsānzhāng

(Zhuyin): ㄩㄝㄈㄚˇ ㄙㄢㄓㄤ
Cantonese (Jyutping): joek³ faat³ saam¹ zoeng¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yuēfǎsānzhāng
  - Zhuyin: ㄩㄝㄈㄚˇ ㄙㄢㄓㄤ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yuefǎsanjhang
  - Wade–Giles: yüeh¹-fa³-san¹-chang¹
  - Yale: ywē-fǎ-sān-jāng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iuefaasanjang
  - Palladius: юэфасаньчжан (juefasanʹčžan)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɥɛ⁵⁵ fä²¹⁴⁻²¹ sän⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: joek³ faat³ saam¹ zoeng¹
  - Yale: yeuk faat sāam jēung
  - Cantonese Pinyin: joek⁸ faat⁸ saam¹ dzoeng¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: yêg³ fad³ sam¹ zêng¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jœːk̚³ faːt̚³ saːm⁵⁵ t͡sœːŋ⁵⁵/

Idiom

約法三章

to agree on a three-point law; to make a few rules to be observed by everyone