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士不可以不弘毅

Shì bùkěyǐ bù hóng yì
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 a scholar-official must be broad-minded and resolute
  2. 2 a man of learning cannot do without magnanimity and firmness
  3. 3 lit. the scholar cannot not-be broad-and-firm

Examples

HSK 7-9
士不可以不弘毅，肩负重任的人要有气度和定力。
Shìbùkěyǐbùhóngyì, jiānfù zhòngrèn de rén yào yǒu qìdù hé dìnglì.
A scholar cannot lack breadth and firmness - one who bears heavy responsibility must have both scope and steadiness.
HSK 7-9
老师勉励毕业生士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。
Lǎoshī miǎnlì bìyèshēng shìbùkěyǐbùhóngyì, rènzhòng'érdàoyuǎn.
The teacher urged the graduates: a scholar must be broad-minded and resolute; the burden is heavy and the road is long.

Tips

history
From 《论语·泰伯》 (Analects, Book 8), spoken by Zengzi (曾子): 士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后已，不亦远乎？ 'The scholar cannot lack breadth and firmness, for his burden is heavy and the road is long. To take humaneness as his own responsibility, is this not heavy? Only in death does he put it down, is this not far?' One of the defining Confucian statements of the scholar's vocation.
usage
Almost always quoted with its second clause 任重而道远 ('the burden is heavy and the road is long'). 弘 = broad, magnanimous; 毅 = firm, resolute; together 弘毅 is a compact Confucian virtue-word.

Stroke Order

士 shì
不 bù
可 kě
以 yǐ
弘 hóng
毅 yì