子张 (Zǐzhāng) · Zizhang, disciple of Confucius

Meanings

1 Zizhang, disciple of Confucius
2 Zizhang, Book 19 of the Analects

About Zizhang

born 503 BC · 历史人物 historical figure

Disciple of Confucius, who judged that he went too far where 子夏 fell short and added 过犹不及, 'going too far is as bad as falling short'. Book 19 of the 论语 opens with his words.

Also called 颛孙师

Characters

子

zǐ

master (common in courtesy names)

张

zhāng

to open out; to stretch

Examples

HSK 7-9

子张是孔子的学生，曾经向孔子请教怎样做官。

Zǐzhāng shì Kǒngzǐ de xuésheng, céngjīng xiàng Kǒngzǐ qǐngjiào zěnyàng zuòguān.

Zizhang was a student of Confucius who once asked him how to go about holding office.

HSK 7-9

“博学而笃志，切问而近思”出自《论语·子张》。

" Bóxué ér dǔzhì, qièwèn ér jìnsī " chūzì 《 Lúnyǔ · Zǐzhāng 》.

'Learn widely and hold firm to your aim; ask earnestly and think about what is near' comes from the Zizhang book of the Analects.

Tips

culture

Told to be sincere in word and earnest in deed, he wrote the words down on his sash (子张书诸绅). From this story, 书绅, 'writing on the sash', became a classical allusion for taking advice to heart.

usage

Book 19 opens 子张曰 'Zizhang said', hence its name. Unusually it records only sayings of the disciples, such as 子夏 and 子贡, with nothing from Confucius himself.