以及人之老

yǐjírénzhīlǎo

phrase

Meanings

1 and extend it to the elders of others
2 to treat other people's elders as one's own (literally: and reach the elderly of others)

Characters

and (classical connective)

reach, extend to

's / of (classical 的)

the aged, elders

Examples

老吾老以及人之老，这是中华传统美德。

Lǎo wú lǎo yǐ jí rén zhī lǎo, zhè shì Zhōnghuá chuántǒng měidé.

‘Honor one's own elders and extend that to others' elders’ is a traditional Chinese virtue.

社区养老就是以及人之老的体现。

Shèqū yǎnglǎo jiùshì yǐ jí rén zhī lǎo de tǐxiàn.

Community eldercare embodies the idea of ‘extending care to others' elders.’

Tips

history

From Mencius 《孟子·梁惠王上》: ‘老吾老，以及人之老；幼吾幼，以及人之幼。’ (Honor my own elders and extend that to the elders of others; cherish my own young and extend that to the young of others.) A foundational statement of Confucian/Mencian ethics of empathy.

usage

以 = and; 及 = reach, extend to; 之 = attributive marker ( = 的). Almost always quoted together with 老吾老 and the parallel 幼吾幼 clause.

Stroke Order

以 yǐ

及 jí

人 rén

之 zhī

老 lǎo