君子

jūnzǐ
noun HSK 7 #12,149

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 gentleman
  2. 2 person of noble character
  3. 3 virtuous person

Examples

Jūnzǐ yì yán, sì mǎ nán zhuī.
A gentleman's word is his bond.
Tā shì ge zhèngrén jūnzǐ, cóng bù shuōhuǎng.
He is a true gentleman who never lies.

Tips

culture
君子 is a core Confucian concept. In the Analects (), Confucius describes the 君子 as someone who cultivates virtue, practices righteousness, and puts moral character above personal gain.
usage
The opposite of 君子 is 小人 (xiǎorén), a petty or morally inferior person. This contrast appears frequently in classical Chinese literature.

Stroke Order

jūn