择其善者而从之

擇其善者而從之

zé qí shànzhě ér cóng zhī

quotation

Meanings

1 choose what is good in them and follow it
2 learn from others' strengths (literally: select the good ones among them and follow them)

Characters

one who, the ones

it, them (classical object pronoun)

Examples

HSK 5

读书的道理就是择其善者而从之。

Dúshū de dàolǐ jiùshì zéqíshànzhě'ércóngzhī.

The principle of reading is to choose what is good and follow it.

HSK 5

跟同事相处，要择其善者而从之。

Gēn tóngshì xiāngchǔ, yào zéqíshànzhě'ércóngzhī.

When getting along with colleagues, learn from their strong points.

Tips

history

From the Analects 《论语·述而》: 三人行，必有我师焉。择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之。 (When three walk together, one of them must be my teacher. Choose what is good and follow it; identify what is bad and correct it.) Confucius' classic formulation of learning from everyone around you.

usage

Often quoted together with the preceding line 三人行必有我师. In modern speech it is used as a ready-made phrase urging humility and selective imitation.

Stroke Order

择 zé

其 qí

善 shàn

者 zhě

而 ér

从 cóng

之 zhī