必有我师焉

必有我師焉
bìyǒuwǒshīyān
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 there must be a teacher for me among them
  2. 2 from any group one can find someone to learn from
  3. 3 the Confucian spirit of perpetual study

Examples

Sān rén xíng bì yǒu wǒ shī yān, yào duō xiàng shēnbiān de rén xuéxí.
Among any three walking together there is always a teacher for me — we must keep learning from those around us.
Tā bàozhe "bì yǒu wǒ shī yān" de xīntài, xūxīn qǐngjiào xīn tóngshì.
With the attitude that 'there is always a teacher for me,' she humbly asked her new colleagues for advice.

Tips

history
From 《·》 (Analects, Book 7): 人行不善 — 'when walking with two others, there will always be one I can take as a teacher; I choose what is good in them and follow it, and what is not good and correct it in myself.' A cornerstone statement of Confucian learning.
usage
Always cited with its opening 人行 ('three people walking'). is a classical final particle combining 'at it / among them.' Widely used today in education and self-improvement contexts.

Stroke Order

yǒu
shī
yān