子在川上曰

Zǐ zài chuān shàng yuē

quotation

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。

" Zǐzàichuānshàngyuē: shìzhěrúsīfú " — — 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 " zǐzàichuānshàngyuē " 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