乐民之乐者

樂民之樂者

lè mín zhī lè zhě

quotation

Meanings

1 one who delights in the people's joy
2 a ruler who rejoices when his people rejoice
3 opening half of a Mencian maxim on shared happiness

Characters

's (possessive)

Examples

HSK 7-9

古人说"乐民之乐者，民亦乐其乐"，为官者当记之。

Gǔrén shuō " lèmínzhīlèzhě, mínyìlèqílè ", wéiguānzhě dāng jì zhī.

The ancients said 'one who delights in the people's joy will have the people delight in his joy' - officials should remember this.

HSK 7-9

他下基层体察民情，颇有"乐民之乐者"的风范。

Tā xià jīcéng tǐchá mínqíng, pō yǒu " lèmínzhīlèzhě " de fēngfàn.

He goes to the grassroots to understand public sentiment - very much in the spirit of 'one who delights in the people's joy.'

Tips

history

出自《孟子·梁惠王下》：「乐民之乐者，民亦乐其乐；忧民之忧者，民亦忧其忧。」孟子以此劝齐宣王与民同乐，奠定了「与民同乐」的政治伦理。

usage

Both 乐 here read lè (joy). The whole line stresses the emotional resonance between ruler and people, and is regularly paired with 忧民之忧者 (one who worries over the people's worries).

Stroke Order

乐 lè

民 mín

之 zhī

者 zhě