我本将心向明月

我本將心向明月

wǒběnjiāngxīnxiàngmíngyuè

phrase

Meanings

1 I turned my heart toward the bright moon
2 (fig.) I gave my sincere devotion — but it was not returned (bitter disappointment of unrequited love or loyalty)
3 (lit.) I — originally — take — heart — toward — bright moon

Characters

moon (明月 = bright moon)

Examples

她叹气说：我本将心向明月，奈何明月照沟渠。

Tā tànqì shuō: wǒ běn jiāng xīn xiàng míngyuè, nàihé míngyuè zhào gōuqú.

She sighed: 'I turned my heart toward the bright moon, but alas the bright moon shines on the ditch.'

他对公司忠心耿耿，最后被辞退，真是我本将心向明月。

Tā duì gōngsī zhōngxīn gěnggěng, zuìhòu bèi cítuì, zhēn shì wǒ běn jiāng xīn xiàng míngyuè.

He served the company with unwavering loyalty only to be laid off — truly 'I turned my heart toward the bright moon...'

Tips

history

Most commonly traced to the Yuan zaju 《琵琶记》 and widely circulated in late-imperial verse: 我本将心向明月，奈何明月照沟渠 (I turned my heart toward the bright moon — but alas the bright moon shines into the ditch). The image: you offer your heart to something pure and high (the moon); it ignores you and shines on a gutter instead. Exact original is disputed (traditionally attributed to 高明 in 《琵琶记》; also found in Yuan-era qu poetry) but the couplet has been proverbial since the Ming.

usage

Virtually always cited with the answering line 奈何明月照沟渠. 将 here is classical = 'to take / with' (not 'will' or 'general'). Modern use covers both romantic rejection and professional betrayal.

Stroke Order

我 wǒ

本 běn

将 jiāng

心 xīn

向 xiàng

明 míng

月 yuè