君子之德风

君子之德風

jūnzǐzhīdéfēng

phrase

Meanings

1 the virtue of the gentleman is like the wind
2 a gentleman's moral force sways others as wind sways grass
3 (lit.) the gentleman's virtue is wind

Characters

gentleman / ruler

(respectful suffix)

's (possessive)

virtue / moral force

Examples

孔子讲君子之德风，领导者的品行会影响整个组织。

Kǒngzǐ jiǎng jūnzǐ zhī dé fēng, lǐngdǎo zhě de pǐnxíng huì yǐngxiǎng zhěnggè zǔzhī.

Confucius said the gentleman's virtue is wind — a leader's character sways the whole organization.

家风如君子之德风，孩子耳濡目染。

Jiāfēng rú jūnzǐ zhī dé fēng, háizi ěr rǔ mù rǎn.

Family ethos is like the gentleman's wind-like virtue — children absorb it through constant exposure.

Tips

history

From 《论语·颜渊》 (Analects: Yan Yuan). Confucius tells Ji Kangzi: 『君子之德风，小人之德草。草上之风，必偃』— 'the gentleman's virtue is wind, the common person's virtue is grass. When the wind passes over the grass, the grass must bend.' A classic Confucian image for moral leadership through example rather than command.

usage

Paired with 『小人之德草』 and the image 『草上之风必偃』 (grass bent by wind). 之 is the classical possessive — 君子之德 = 'the gentleman's virtue' — and 风 serves as a predicate noun, 'is wind.'

Stroke Order

君 jūn

子 zǐ

之 zhī

德 dé

风 fēng