名正言順

See also: 名正言顺

Chinese

	name; fame; to describe name; fame; to describe; place	just (right); main; upright just (right); main; upright; straight; correct; principle; Chinese 1st month of year	to speak; to say; talk to speak; to say; talk; word	to obey; to follow; to arrange to obey; to follow; to arrange; to make reasonable; along; favorable
trad. (名正言順)	名	正	言	順
simp. (名正言顺)	名	正	言	顺
Literally: “legitimate name, smooth wording”.

Etymology

The Analects:

名不正，則言不順；言不順，則事不成；事不成，則禮樂不興；禮樂不興，則刑罰不中；刑罰不中，則民無所措手足。 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
名不正，则言不顺；言不顺，则事不成；事不成，则礼乐不兴；礼乐不兴，则刑罚不中；刑罚不中，则民无所措手足。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, circa 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Míng bù zhèng, zé yán bù shùn; yán bù shùn, zé shì bù chéng; shì bù chéng, zé lǐyuè bù xīng; lǐyuè bùxīng, zé xíngfá bùzhòng; xíngfá bùzhòng, zé mín wú suǒ cuò shǒuzú. [Pinyin]

If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): míngzhèngyánshùn

(Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄥˋ ㄧㄢˊ ㄕㄨㄣˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): ming⁴ zing³ jin⁴ seon⁶
Min Nan (POJ): bêng-chèng-giân-sūn

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: míngzhèngyánshùn
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄓㄥˋ ㄧㄢˊ ㄕㄨㄣˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mingjenqyanshuenn
  - IPA ^(key): /miŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹ i̯ɛn³⁵ ʂu̯ən⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: ming⁴ zing³ jin⁴ seon⁶
  - Yale: mìhng jing yìhn seuhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴ dzing³ jin⁴ soen⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴ jing³ yin⁴ sên⁶
  - IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹ t͡sɪŋ³³ jiːn²¹ sɵn²²/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bêng-chèng-giân-sūn
  - Tâi-lô: bîng-tsìng-giân-sūn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bengzeanggiensun
  - IPA (Xiamen): /biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡ɕiɪŋ²¹⁻⁵³ giɛn²⁴⁻²² sun²²/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /biɪŋ²⁴⁻²² t͡ɕiɪŋ⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ giɛn²⁴⁻²² sun⁴¹/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /biɪŋ¹³⁻²² t͡ɕiɪŋ²¹⁻⁵³ giɛn¹³⁻²² sun²²/
  - IPA (Taipei): /biɪŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡ɕiɪŋ¹¹⁻⁵³ giɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ sun³³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /biɪŋ²³⁻³³ t͡ɕiɪŋ²¹⁻⁴¹ giɛn²³⁻³³ sun³³/

Idiom

名正言順

to be fitting and proper; to be perfectly justified or deserved

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