四端

sìduān

noun

Meanings

1 the Four Sprouts, the four inborn beginnings of virtue in Mencius

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

孟子认为人生来就有四端。

Mèngzǐ rènwéi rén shēnglái jiù yǒu sìduān.

Mencius believed that people are born with the four sprouts of virtue.

HSK 7-9

四端如果好好培养，就能发展成仁、义、礼、智四种美德。

Sìduān rúguǒ hǎohǎo péiyǎng, jiù néng fāzhǎn chéng rén, yì, lǐ, zhì sì zhǒng měidé.

If the four sprouts are well cultivated, they grow into the four virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom.

Tips

history

The idea comes from 《孟子·公孙丑上》: the heart of compassion (恻隐), of shame (羞恶), of deference (辞让) and of right and wrong (是非) are the beginnings of 仁, 义, 礼 and 智. Mencius says people have them as surely as they have four limbs.

Stroke Order

四 sì

端 duān