子在川上曰

zǐzàichuānshàngyuē

phrase

Meanings

1 the Master, standing by the river, said
2 classical introduction to Confucius's most quoted river-meditation — time flowing past like water

Characters

on / by the side of

said (classical)

Examples

"子在川上曰：逝者如斯夫"——这是所有中国学生都背过的。

"Zǐ zài chuān shàng yuē: shì zhě rú sī fú" — zhè shì suǒyǒu Zhōngguó xuéshēng dōu bèi guò de.

'The Master, standing by the river, said: all things pass like this' — every Chinese student has memorized it.

讲时间哲学，老师总从"子在川上曰"开头。

Jiǎng shíjiān zhéxué, lǎoshī zǒng cóng "zǐ zài chuān shàng yuē" kāitóu.

To teach the philosophy of time, the teacher always begins from 'the Master, standing by the river, said.'

Tips

history

From 《论语·子罕》: '子在川上曰：逝者如斯夫，不舍昼夜.' Confucius watching a river — the full meditation concludes '…not resting day or night,' i.e. all things flow on ceaselessly.

usage

子 = 'the Master,' the standard Analects shorthand for Confucius. 曰 (yuē) = 'said' — the classical Chinese saying-verb, not to be confused with 日 (rì, 'day').

Stroke Order

子 zǐ

在 zài

川 chuān

上 shàng

曰 yuē