三纲五常

三綱五常

sāngāng-wǔcháng

idiom

Meanings

1 the three bonds and five constants
2 the core ethical code of imperial Confucianism

Characters

guiding principle, bond

constant, principle

Examples

三纲五常是儒家伦理的核心。

Sāngāngwǔcháng shì Rújiā lúnlǐ de héxīn.

The three bonds and five constants are the core of Confucian ethics.

新文化运动激烈批判三纲五常。

Xīnwénhuà yùndòng jīliè pīpàn sāngāngwǔcháng.

The New Culture Movement fiercely criticized the three bonds and five constants.

Tips

history

Per 《新华成语词典》, derived from 《白虎通·三纲六纪》 (Eastern Han) and 王充's 《论衡》. The 三纲 ('three bonds'): 君为臣纲 (ruler-subject), 父为子纲 (father-son), 夫为妻纲 (husband-wife). The 五常 ('five constants'): 仁 benevolence, 义 righteousness, 礼 propriety, 智 wisdom, 信 faithfulness. Fixed by 董仲舒 in the Han, these defined the moral software of imperial China for two millennia.

Stroke Order

三 sān

纲 gāng

五 wǔ

常 cháng