| Chinese Text Project |
| 文王芒然自失， | King Wen looked lost in amazement, |
| 曰： | and said again, |
| 「諸侯之劍何如？」 | 'And what about the sword of a feudal lord?' |
| 曰： | (Zhuangzi) replied, |
| 「諸侯之劍，以知勇士為鋒， | 'This sword has wise and brave officers for its point; |
| 以清廉士為鍔， | pure and disinterested officers for its edge; |
| 以賢良士為脊， | able and honourable officers for its back; |
| 以忠聖士為鐔， | loyal and sage officers for its hilt; |
| 以豪桀士為夾。 | valiant and eminent officers for its sheath. |
| 此劍值之亦無前， | When this sword is thrust directly forward, as in the former case, there is nothing in front of it; |
| 舉之亦無上， | when directed upwards, there is nothing above it; |
| 案之亦無下， | when laid down, there is nothing below it; |
| 運之亦無旁， | when wheeled round, there is nothing on any side of it. |
| 上法圓天以順三光， | Above, its law is taken from the round heaven, and is in accordance with the three luminaries; |
| 下法方地以順四時， | below, its law is taken from the square earth, and is in accordance with the four seasons; |
| 中和民意以安四鄉。 | between, it is in harmony with the minds of the people, and in all the parts of the state there is peace. |
| 此劍一用， | Let this sword be once used, |
| 如雷霆之震也， | and you seem to hear the crash of the thunder-peal. |
| 四封之內， | Within the four borders |
| 無不賓服而聽從君命者矣。 | there are none who do not respectfully submit, and obey the orders of the ruler. |
| 此諸侯之劍也。 | This is the sword of the feudal lord. |
| Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 文王 | 文+0 玉+0 | 㒚 穩 | wén wáng ㄨㄣˊ ㄨㄤˊ | Same as 「周文王」 zhōu wén wáng ㄓㄡ ㄨㄣˊ ㄨㄤˊ: 商末周部落首領。姓姬名昌，季歷之子。 King Wen of Zhou, founder of the Zhou dynasty. | v3,p2169#01 v2,p1099#10 | p.477#01 p.727#02 | p.608r4c02 p.888r1c02 |
| 芒 | 艸+3 | 杧 𪌁 | máng wáng huǎng huāng ㄇㄤˊ ㄨㄤˊ ㄏㄨㄤˇ ㄏㄨㄤ | Miscanthus sinensis | v5,p3176#03 | p.1018#20 | p.1123r5c04 |
| 然 | 火+8 | 燃 𤓉 | rán ㄖㄢˊ | Burn. / Demonstrative pronoun: like this, like that. / Expresses affirmation: true, indeed so. / Believe correct, affirm. / Adverb: actually, thus. / Connective: but, however, yet. / Particle used at the end of a sentence to express comparison. Like, as if. / Particle used after an adjective or adverb to express state. / Particle used at the end of a sentence to express affirmative mode. | v3,p2213#05 | p.675#12 | p.852r5c01 |
| 自 | 自+0 | 𦣹 鼻 | zì ㄗˋ | Oneself. / Begin, beginning. / From. / Originally. / Natural, naturally. / Supposing, if. / Even, even if. | v5,p3046#01 | p.1000#07 | p.1108r3c01 |
| 失 | 大+2 | shī ㄕ | lose; make mistake, neglect | v1,p0525#01 | p.249#09 | p.368r3c01 | |
| 曰 | 曰+0 | yuē ㄩㄝ | (1) 說。 Say, speak. | v2,p1482#02 | p.502#01 | p.648r3c03 | |
| 諸侯 | 言+9 人+7 | 𢒕 诸 𥎦 | zhū hóu ㄓㄨ ㄏㄡˊ | 古代帝王分封的各國國君，規定要服從王命，定期朝貢述職。 Ruler of a vassal state during the Zhou dynasty. | v6,p3982#03 v1,p0167#01 | p.1172#04 p.103#07 | p.104r3c06 |
| 之 | 丿+3 | 㞢 | zhī ㄓ | Towards; go to. / Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Third person pronoun: him, her, it. / Auxiliary word: of. / Auxiliary word: used between subject and predicate, cancels independence of a clause. / Auxiliary word: used in a sentence for aesthetic purpose only, no meaning. | v1,p0043#01 | p.82#04 | p.47r2c02 |
| 劍 | 刀+13 | 劒 剑 | jiàn ㄐㄧㄢˋ | sword, dagger, saber | v1,p0358#10 | p.144#45 | p.190r4c03 |
| 何 | 人+5 | hé ㄏㄜˊ | Ask, enquire. / What. / Who, which one. / How, in what way. / Why, for what reason. / Where, in what place. / How much, to what extent. | v1,p0130#04 | p.98#15 | p.97r2c04 | |
| hē ㄏㄜ | Criticize, condemn. | ||||||
| hè ㄏㄜˋ | Carry on one's back. / Bear, carry a burden. | ||||||
| 如 | 女+3 | rú ㄖㄨˊ | Go to. / According to, in accordance with. / Like, similar to. / As good as, comparable to. / Should. / Or, alternatively. / If, should it be the case. / As for, as regards. / Adjectival suffix. | v2,p1025#09 | p.255#21 | p.378r5c02 | |
| 以 | 人+3 | 㠯 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Use. / Believe. / Command. / Lead. / Connect, implicate. / Have. / Cause, reason. / Preposition: because. / Preposition: from, in. / Preposition: at [some time]. / Preposition: using. / Preposition: in accordance with. / Preposition: relying upon. / Preposition: in the capacity of. / Preposition: with, together with. / Connective: indicates the following action is the objective of the preceding one. / Connective: used between adverbial clause and verb to express modification. / Connective: and. / Connective: but. / Connective: and so, thus. / Particle: used together with some words expressing direction and time. / Modal particle. / Same as 「已(1)」 yǐ ㄧˇ: Stop, discontinue. / Same as 「已(7.2)」 yǐ ㄧˇ: Adverb: already. / Same as 「已(7.3)」 yǐ ㄧˇ: Adverb: extremely. | v1,p0105#07 | p.94#01 | p.87r6c01 |
| 知 | 矢+3 | 𢇻 𥎿 | zhī ㄓ | Know, understand. / Perception. / Recognize. / Knowledge. / Know about, make sense of. / Be friendly with. / Control, get on top of. | v4,p2581#02 | p.824#01 | p.955r5c02 |
| zhì ㄓˋ | Wisdom. | ||||||
| 勇 | 力+7 | yǒng ㄩㄥˇ | brave, courageous, fierce | v1,p0372#07 | p.147#35 | p.195r4c01 | |
| 士 | 士+0 | shì ㄕˋ | scholar, gentleman; soldier | v1,p0416#01 | p.242#38 | p.333r1c03 | |
| 為 | 火+5 | 爲 为 | wéi ㄨㄟˊ | Create, make. / Build, construct. / Do. / Plant, grow. / Govern. / Research, study. / Serve as. / Change into, become. / As, in the role of. / Count as, be considered as. / Called, named. / Expresses judgement: is. / Make, cause (to). / Have. / Take part in. / Write, author. / Connective: if. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to move forward the object. / Modal particle used at the end of a sentence to express a rhetorical question. | v3,p2198#11 | p.669#10 | p.844r4c03 |
| wèi ㄨㄟˋ | Help, assist. / Preposition: for, on behalf of. / Preposition: by (passive). / Preposition: because of, due to. / Preposition: with, together with. / Connective: because. / Say. / False, fake. | ||||||
| 鋒 | 金+7 | 锋 | fēng ㄈㄥ | point of spear, sharp point | v6,p4210#08 | p.1307#12 | p.1381r6c04 |
| 清 | 水+8 | 淸 | qīng qìng ㄑㄧㄥ ㄑㄧㄥˋ | clear, pure, clean; peaceful | v3,p1637#11 | p.633#37 | |
| 廉 | 广+10 | 廉 磏 槏 𢋯 𢉧 | lián ㄌㄧㄢˊ | upright, honorable, honest | v2,p0896#01 | p.349#08 | p.491r5c01 |
| 鍔 | 金+9 | 锷 | è ㄜˋ | high, lofty; edge of knife | v6,p4231#09 | p.1314#01 | p.1387r5c02 |
| 賢 | 貝+8 | 臤 贒 贤 | xián ㄒㄧㄢˊ | virtuous, worthy, good; able | v6,p3646#06 | p.1209#28 | p.1276r5c02 |
| 良 | 艮+1 | 良 𡰩 𥭣 𡆨 | liáng liǎng ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄌㄧㄤˇ | good, virtuous, respectable | v5,p3170#02 | p.1013#23 | p.1119r3c01 |
| 脊 | 肉+6 | jí jǐ ㄐㄧˊ ㄐㄧˇ | spine, backbone; ridge | v3,p2070#10 | p.982#08 | p.1096r6c01 | |
| 忠 | 心+4 | zhōng ㄓㄨㄥ | loyalty, devotion, fidelity | v4,p2273#15 | p.377#13 | p.524r1c02 | |
| 聖 | 耳+7 | 堊 𦕡 𠄵 圣 | shèng ㄕㄥˋ | holy, sacred; sage | v4,p2789#06 | p.967#22 | p.1082r6c06 |
| 鐔 | 金+12 | 镡 | tán xīn xín ㄊㄢˊ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄒㄧㄣˊ | dagger; small sword | v6,p4255#01 | p.1322#13 | p.1393r6c01 |
| 豪 | 豕+7 | háo ㄏㄠˊ | brave, heroic, chivalrous | v6,p3615#10 | p.1197#02 | p.1264r3c01 | |
| 桀 | 木+6 | 㘶 | jié ㄐㄧㄝˊ | chicken roost; ancient emperor | v2,p1203#05 | p.524#15 | p.693r1c02 |
| 夾 | 大+4 | 夹 | jiā jiá ㄐㄧㄚ ㄐㄧㄚˊ | be wedged or inserted between | v1,p0529#18 | p.250#10 | p.369r6c01 |
| 此 | 止+2 | cǐ ㄘˇ | This. / Like this. / Here. / Adverb: then. | v2,p1438#03 | p.574#10 | p.735r4c01 | |
| 值 | 人+8 | 値 | zhí zhì ㄓˊ ㄓˋ | price | v1,p0171#08 | p.109#17 | |
| 亦 | 亠+4 | 𠅃 | yì ㄧˋ | Original character for 腋. / Also. / Just, merely. / Again. / Modal particle at the beginning or middle of a sentence. / Accumulate. | v1,p0281#03 | p.88#09 | p.78r2c02 |
| 無 | 火+8 | 𣟒 𣚨 𠘩 无 橆 | wú ㄨˊ | Not have. / Philosophical category referring to absence, non-existence, or vacuity. / Adverb expressing negation: not. / Adverb expressing questioning: or not. / Connective: regardless of. / Connective: even if. / Particle used at the beginning of a sentence, no meaning. / Do not. / Barren, uncultivated. | v3,p2211#15 | p.673#26 | p.848r2c04 |
| 前 | 刀+7 | 歬 𣦃 | qián ㄑㄧㄢˊ | in front, forward; preceding | v1,p0248#04 | p.140#15 | p.184r4c01 |
| 舉 | 臼+10 | 擧 㪯 举 | jǔ ㄐㄩˇ | raise, lift up; recommend | v5,p3041#08 | p.1005#15 | p.1114r3c01 |
| 上 | 一+2 | 丄 𠄞 | shàng ㄕㄤˋ | top; superior, highest; go up, send up | v1,p0005#04 | p.76#07 | p.24r2c01 |
| 案 | 木+6 | àn ㄢˋ | table, bench; legal case | v2,p1207#08 | p.525#09 | p.695r1c01 | |
| 下 | 一+2 | 丅 厥 𠄟 | xià ㄒㄧㄚˋ | under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down | v1,p0007#01 | p.76#10 | p.28r1c01 |
| 運 | 辵+9 | 𨔪 运 | yùn ㄩㄣˋ | luck, fortune; ship, transport | v6,p3866#01 | p.1261#18 | p.1323r6c02 |
| 旁 | 方+6 | 𣃟 𣃙 㝑 傍 | páng bàng ㄆㄤˊ ㄅㄤˋ | side; by side, close by, near | v3,p2179#02 | p.482#11 | p.623r1c01 |
| 法 | 水+5 | 佱 灋 𣳴 | fǎ ㄈㄚˇ | Law, penal code. / Principle, system. / Standard. / Method, way of doing. / Follow, imitate. / Adhere to the rules. / The Legalist school. | v3,p1579#04 | p.616#11 | p.778r4c01 |
| 圓 | 囗+10 | 圎 圆 | yuán ㄩㄢˊ | circle; round, circular; complete | v1,p0724#07 | p.220#09 | p.307r2c01 |
| 天 | 大+1 | 𠀡 𠀘 𦴞 兲 靝 𠕹 | tiān ㄊㄧㄢ | sky, heaven; god, celestial | v1,p0522#01 | p.248#04 | p.358r4c01 |
| 順 | 頁+3 | 㥧 巡 𠈼 顺 | shùn ㄕㄨㄣˋ | obey, submit to, go along with | v7,p4357#05 | p.1399#17 | p.1475r3c01 |
| 三 | 一+2 | 叁 弎 | sān sàn ㄙㄢ ㄙㄢˋ | three | v1,p0004#03 | p.76#05 | p.11r2c01 |
| 光 | 儿+4 | 灮 炗 𤎫 𠈑 𤉭 | guāng ㄍㄨㄤ | light, brilliant, shine; only | v1,p0266#07 | p.124#06 | p.135r4c01 |
| 方 | 方+0 | 𤙗 | fāng ㄈㄤ | Two boats in line. / Two boats travelling together. / Together, in a row. / Same, equivalent. / Comparison, metaphor. / Square. / Upright, honest. / Land, earth. / Vicinity, area around. / Place, area. / One side, one area. / Wooden board used for writing in ancient times. / (Medical) prescription. / Direction. / Convention. / Standard, rule. / The proper way. / Method, way. / Specialized techniques. / Occupy. / Disobey. / Preposition: just then. / Adverb: while. / Adverb: about to. / Adverb: just. / Criticism. | v3,p2172#01 | p.481#03 | p.619r4c01 |
| páng ㄆㄤˊ | Wide, universal. | ||||||
| 地 | 土+3 | 埊 𨻐 埅 𠏂 嶳 | dì de ㄉㄧˋ ㄉㄜ· | earth; soil, ground; region | v1,p0420#12 | p.224#06 | p.312r6c01 |
| 四 | 囗+2 | 𦉭 肆 | sì ㄙˋ | four | v1,p0710#16 | p.216#22 | p.294r6c01 |
| 時 | 日+6 | 旹 时 | shí ㄕˊ | Season. / Unit of time equal to two hours. / [The passage of] time. / Time, times. / Age, period, epoch. / Occasion, opportune moment. / On time. / Then, at that time. / Always, constantly. / Same as 「伺(1)」 sì ㄙˋ: Wait until, wait for (a chance). | v2,p1505#05 | p.494#22 | p.639r3c04 |
| 中 | 丨+3 | 𠁧 𠁩 塚 | zhōng zhòng ㄓㄨㄥ ㄓㄨㄥˋ | central; center, middle; in the midst of; hit (target); attain | v1,p0028#10 | p.79#03 | p.37r4c02 |
| 和 | 口+5 | 龢 咊 惒 | hé huò huó hè ㄏㄜˊ ㄏㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄨㄛˊ ㄏㄜˋ | harmony, peace; peaceful, calm | v1,p0602#01 | p.185#01 | p.267r3c01 |
| 民 | 氏+1 | 𠘽 | mín ㄇㄧㄣˊ | people, subjects, citizens | v3,p2131#01 | p.598#01 | p.750r3c01 |
| 意 | 心+9 | yì ㄧˋ | thought, idea, opinion; think | v4,p2323#03 | p.394#22 | p.537r1c05 | |
| 安 | 宀+3 | ān ㄢ | Stable, steady. / Peaceful, tranquil. / Safe. / Accustomed to do, habitually do. / Not worry about, be relaxed about. / Comfort, ease. / Stop, cease. / Unhurried. / Place, put. / Interrogative pronoun: how. / Interrogative pronoun: where. / Interrogative pronoun: what. / Interrogative pronoun: who. / Connective: so, thereupon. | v2,p0913#09 | p.282#08 | p.406r2c01 | |
| 鄉 | 邑+9 | 郷 鄕 乡 | xiāng xiǎng xiàng ㄒㄧㄤ ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ | country; rural; village | v6,p3786#04 | p.1275#02 | |
| 一 | 一+0 | 弌 壹 | yī ㄧ | one; a, an; alone | v1,p0001#01 | p.75#01 | p.1r1c01 |
| 用 | 用+0 | 𤰆 𠛁 | yòng ㄩㄥˋ | use, employ, apply, operate; use | v1,p0097#05 | p.755#24 | p.908r6c02 |
| 雷 | 雨+5 | 雷 𤴐 𩂩 𩇓 𤳳 䨓 𩄣 靁 㗊 𤴑 | léi lèi ㄌㄟˊ ㄌㄟˋ | thunder | v6,p4060#02 | p.1372#14 | p.1449r5c01 |
| 霆 | 雨+7 | tíng ㄊㄧㄥˊ | a sudden peal of thunder | v6,p4062#10 | p.1374#20 | p.1454r5c01 | |
| 震 | 雨+7 | 𩆉 | zhèn shēn ㄓㄣˋ ㄕㄣ | shake, quake, tremor; excite | v6,p4064#01 | p.1374#21 | p.1454r5c02 |
| 也 | 乙+2 | 𠃟 匜 | yě ㄧㄝˇ | Modal particle used at the end of a sentence, expressing assertion and affirmation. / Modal particle used at the end of a question for emphasis. / Modal particle used at the end of a cause-effect sentence to express explanation. / Modal particle used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause. | v1,p0050#05 | p.84#04 | p.55r1c01 |
| 封 | 寸+6 | 𡉘 𡊽 | fēng ㄈㄥ | letter, envelope; feudal | v1,p0504#14 | p.294#07 | p.432r4c04 |
| 內 | 入+2 | 𡗠 内 | nèi nà ㄋㄟˋ ㄋㄚˋ | inside, interior; domestic | v1,p0097#02 | p.125#35 | p.141r5c02 |
| 不 | 一+3 | 不 𠀚 𠙐 | bù ㄅㄨˋ | Not have. / To not be. / Negational adverb, used before verbs, adjectives, etc. to indicate negation. / Negational adverb expressing prohibition: do not. / Negational adverb expressing rhetorical question: is not...? | v1,p0011#06 | p.76#15 | p.30r1c01 |
| fǒu ㄈㄡˇ | Same as 「否(1.2)」 fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used together with an affirmative word, expressing its negative or opposite. / Same as 「否(1.3)」 fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used at the end of a question to form a yes-no question. | ||||||
| fū ㄈㄨ | Sepal of a flower. | ||||||
| pī ㄆㄧ | Same as 「丕(1)」 pī ㄆㄧ: Large. | ||||||
| bǐ ㄅㄧˇ | Show disdain for. | ||||||
| 賓 | 貝+7 | 𧶉 𡫅 𥦎 𡧍 賔 宾 | bīn bìn ㄅㄧㄣ ㄅㄧㄣˋ | guest, visitor; surname; submit | v6,p3643#08 | p.1208#37 | p.1275r5c05 |
| 服 | 月+4 | 𣍞 𦨈 | fú fù bì ㄈㄨˊ ㄈㄨˋ ㄅㄧˋ | clothes; wear, dress | v3,p2053#07 | p.505#02 | |
| 而 | 而+0 | ér ㄦˊ | Whiskers. / Like, similar to. / Pronoun: you. / Pronoun: this, like this. / Connective: and, with. / Connective: and, then. / Connective: if, supposing. / Connective: yet, however. / Connective: therefore, hence. / Connective: expresses method or state. / Particle: of. / Expressive particle. | v4,p2810#01 | p.961#18 | p.1080r2c03 | |
| néng ㄋㄥˊ | Same as 「能(3)」 néng ㄋㄥˊ: Able to, competent. / Same as 「能(2.1)」 néng ㄋㄥˊ: Ability, talent. | ||||||
| 聽 | 耳+16 | 𦕢 听 | tīng tìng ㄊㄧㄥ ㄊㄧㄥˋ | hear, listen; understand; obey | v4,p2799#14 | p.970#24 | p.1087r1c02 |
| 從 | 彳+8 | 従 从 | cóng ㄘㄨㄥˊ | Follow, accompany. / Cause to follow, make go along with. / Pursue, chase after. / Die with, bury along with the dead. / Listen to, do as required. / Eloquent. / Obedient, submissive. / Route to peaceful society, correct order. / Perform, participate in. / Blood relation through the male line. / Secondary, sub- (of official titles). / Preposition: from. / Preposition: towards. / Preposition: because of, due to. / Addition, also. | v2,p0829#12 | p.368#18 | p.514r5c01 |
| zòng ㄗㄨㄥˋ | North-south. / Alliance of states opposed to the Qin alliance. / Straight, upright. / Indulge, allow to. / Connective: even if. | ||||||
| zōng ㄗㄨㄥ | Trace, vestige. | ||||||
| sǒng ㄙㄨㄥˇ | See 從容。 | ||||||
| 君 | 口+4 | 𠱩 𠱭 | jūn ㄐㄩㄣ | The son of heaven. / The ruler of a state. / Dafu (title). / To be ruler. / To rule, to govern. | v1,p0595#06 | p.177#07 | p.256r6c08 |
| 命 | 口+5 | mìng ㄇㄧㄥˋ | Order, command. / Written order, commandment. / Send (on a mission), dispatch. / A (diplomatic) mission. / Force, make do. / Instruct, tell. / Gift given by a ruler to his ministers by rank. / Will of heaven. / Fate. / Life, lifespan. / Call, name, assign a name to. / Know for certain. | v1,p0604#11 | p.183#18 | p.266r6c01 | |
| 者 | 老+4 | zhě ㄓㄜˇ | Pronoun used after verbs, adjectives, etc. in place of a person or thing. / Pronoun used after numbers in place of a thing. / Pronoun used after time or negation to express "when" or "if". / Expressive particle used in a declarative sentence after the subject. / Expressive particle used in a sentence after the subject to express cause or explanation. | v4,p2780#05 | p.961#01 | p.1080r1c01 | |
| zhuó ㄓㄨㄛˊ | In, located in. | ||||||
| 矣 | 矢+2 | 𠤘 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Modal particle used to express declaration. / Modal particle used to express exclamation. / Modal particle used to express an order or request. | v4,p2580#04 | p.823#37 | p.955r5c01 |
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