"工欲善其事,必先利其器" meaning in Chinese

See 工欲善其事,必先利其器 in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

IPA: /kʊŋ⁵⁵ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/ [Mandarin, Sinological-IPA], /kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/ [Cantonese, Sinological-IPA], /kʊŋ⁵⁵ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/, /kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/ Chinese transliterations: gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì [Mandarin, Pinyin], ㄍㄨㄥ ㄩˋ ㄕㄢˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄕˋ [Mandarin, bopomofo], ㄅㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄑㄧˋ [Mandarin, bopomofo], gung¹ juk⁶ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit¹ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³ [Cantonese, Jyutping], gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì [Hanyu-Pinyin, Mandarin], gong yù shàn cí shìh, bì sian lì cí cì [Mandarin, Tongyong-Pinyin], kung¹ yü⁴ shan⁴ chʻi² shih⁴, pi⁴ hsien¹ li⁴ chʻi² chʻi⁴ [Mandarin, Wade-Giles], gūng yù shàn chí shr̀-, bì syān lì chí chì [Mandarin, Yale], gong yuh shann chyi shyh, bih shian lih chyi chih [Gwoyeu-Romatsyh, Mandarin], гун юй шань ци ши [Mandarin, Palladius], би сянь ли ци ци [Mandarin, Palladius], gun juj šanʹ ci ši [Mandarin, Palladius], bi sjanʹ li ci ci [Mandarin, Palladius], gūng yuhk sihn kèih sih, bīt sīn leih kèih hei [Cantonese, Yale], gung¹ juk⁹ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit⁷ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³ [Cantonese, Pinyin], gung¹ yug⁶ xin⁶ kéi⁴ xi⁶, bid¹ xin¹ léi⁶ kéi⁴ héi³ [Cantonese, Guangdong-Romanization]
Etymology: From the Analects, Book 15 (《論語·衞靈公》): : 子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问为仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之贤者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.] From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version Zǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.” [Pinyin] Zigong asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars." Etymology templates: {{lang|zh|(《論語·衞靈公》)}} (《論語·衞靈公》), {{zh-x|^@子貢 問 為{wéi} 仁。子 曰:「@工.欲.善.其.事,@必.先.利.其.器。居 是 邦 也,事 其 大夫 之 賢 者,友 其 士 之 仁 者。」|Zigong asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars."|collapsed=y|ref=Analects}} 子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问为仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之贤者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.] From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version Zǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.” [Pinyin] Zigong asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars." Head templates: {{head|zh|proverb}} 工欲善其事,必先利其器
  1. One must have good tools in order to do a good job. Wikipedia link: Duanmu Ci
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        "1": "^@子貢 問 為{wéi} 仁。子 曰:「@工.欲.善.其.事,@必.先.利.其.器。居 是 邦 也,事 其 大夫 之 賢 者,友 其 士 之 仁 者。」",
        "2": "Zigong asked about the practice of virtue.\nThe Master said, \"The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.\"",
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      "expansion": "子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问为仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之贤者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version\nZǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.” [Pinyin]\nZigong asked about the practice of virtue.\nThe Master said, \"The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.\"",
      "name": "zh-x"
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  "etymology_text": "From the Analects, Book 15 (《論語·衞靈公》):\n:\n子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问为仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之贤者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version\nZǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.” [Pinyin]\nZigong asked about the practice of virtue.\nThe Master said, \"The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.\"",
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  "lang_code": "zh",
  "literal_meaning": "If a workman wishes to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools.",
  "pos": "proverb",
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      "glosses": [
        "One must have good tools in order to do a good job."
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      "tags": [
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      "zh-pron": "gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "bopomofo"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "ㄍㄨㄥ ㄩˋ ㄕㄢˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄕˋ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "bopomofo"
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      "zh-pron": "ㄅㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄑㄧˋ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
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      "zh-pron": "gung¹ juk⁶ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit¹ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³"
    },
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      "tags": [
        "Hanyu-Pinyin",
        "Mandarin"
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      "zh-pron": "gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
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        "Tongyong-Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gong yù shàn cí shìh, bì sian lì cí cì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Wade-Giles"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kung¹ yü⁴ shan⁴ chʻi² shih⁴, pi⁴ hsien¹ li⁴ chʻi² chʻi⁴"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Yale"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gūng yù shàn chí shr̀-, bì syān lì chí chì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Gwoyeu-Romatsyh",
        "Mandarin"
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        "Mandarin",
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      "zh-pron": "гун юй шань ци ши"
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        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "би сянь ли ци ци"
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        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gun juj šanʹ ci ši"
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        "Palladius"
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      "zh-pron": "bi sjanʹ li ci ci"
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    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gung¹ juk⁹ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit⁷ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Guangdong-Romanization"
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      "zh-pron": "gung¹ yug⁶ xin⁶ kéi⁴ xi⁶, bid¹ xin¹ léi⁶ kéi⁴ héi³"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/",
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Sinological-IPA"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "工欲善其事,必先利其器"
}
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        "1": "^@子貢 問 為{wéi} 仁。子 曰:「@工.欲.善.其.事,@必.先.利.其.器。居 是 邦 也,事 其 大夫 之 賢 者,友 其 士 之 仁 者。」",
        "2": "Zigong asked about the practice of virtue.\nThe Master said, \"The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.\"",
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      "expansion": "子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问为仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之贤者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version\nZǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.” [Pinyin]\nZigong asked about the practice of virtue.\nThe Master said, \"The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.\"",
      "name": "zh-x"
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  "etymology_text": "From the Analects, Book 15 (《論語·衞靈公》):\n:\n子貢問為仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之賢者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]子贡问为仁。子曰:「工欲善其事,必先利其器。居是邦也,事其大夫之贤者,友其士之仁者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]\nFrom: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version\nZǐgòng wèn wéi rén. Zǐ yuē: “Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì. Jū shì bāng yě, shì qí dàfū zhī xián zhě, yǒu qí shì zhī rén zhě.” [Pinyin]\nZigong asked about the practice of virtue.\nThe Master said, \"The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars.\"",
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  "literal_meaning": "If a workman wishes to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools.",
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        "Chinese terms derived from the Analects",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 事",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 先",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 其",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 利",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 善",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 器",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 工",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 必",
        "Chinese terms spelled with 欲",
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        "One must have good tools in order to do a good job."
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    {
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      "zh-pron": "gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "bopomofo"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "ㄍㄨㄥ ㄩˋ ㄕㄢˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄕˋ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "bopomofo"
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      "zh-pron": "ㄅㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄑㄧˋ"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Jyutping"
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      "zh-pron": "gung¹ juk⁶ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit¹ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Hanyu-Pinyin",
        "Mandarin"
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      "zh-pron": "gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Tongyong-Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gong yù shàn cí shìh, bì sian lì cí cì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Wade-Giles"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "kung¹ yü⁴ shan⁴ chʻi² shih⁴, pi⁴ hsien¹ li⁴ chʻi² chʻi⁴"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Yale"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gūng yù shàn chí shr̀-, bì syān lì chí chì"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Gwoyeu-Romatsyh",
        "Mandarin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gong yuh shann chyi shyh, bih shian lih chyi chih"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "гун юй шань ци ши"
    },
    {
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        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "би сянь ли ци ци"
    },
    {
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        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gun juj šanʹ ci ši"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Mandarin",
        "Palladius"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "bi sjanʹ li ci ci"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/",
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        "Sinological-IPA"
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    {
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      "zh-pron": "gūng yuhk sihn kèih sih, bīt sīn leih kèih hei"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Pinyin"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gung¹ juk⁹ sin⁶ kei⁴ si⁶, bit⁷ sin¹ lei⁶ kei⁴ hei³"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Guangdong-Romanization"
      ],
      "zh-pron": "gung¹ yug⁶ xin⁶ kéi⁴ xi⁶, bid¹ xin¹ léi⁶ kéi⁴ héi³"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/",
      "tags": [
        "Cantonese",
        "Sinological-IPA"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ y⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂän⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kʊŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚² siːn²² kʰei̯²¹ siː²² piːt̚⁵ siːn⁵⁵ lei̯²² kʰei̯²¹ hei̯³³/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "工欲善其事,必先利其器"
}

Download raw JSONL data for 工欲善其事,必先利其器 meaning in Chinese (5.8kB)

{
  "called_from": "pronunciations/296/20230324",
  "msg": "Zh-pron header not found in zh_pron_tags or tags: '(Standard Chinese)⁺'",
  "path": [
    "工欲善其事,必先利其器"
  ],
  "section": "Chinese",
  "subsection": "",
  "title": "工欲善其事,必先利其器",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "pronunciations/296/20230324",
  "msg": "Zh-pron header not found in zh_pron_tags or tags: '(Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺'",
  "path": [
    "工欲善其事,必先利其器"
  ],
  "section": "Chinese",
  "subsection": "",
  "title": "工欲善其事,必先利其器",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Chinese dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-09-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-08-20 using wiktextract (8e41825 and f99c758). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.