不在其位，不謀其政

See also: 不在其位，不谋其政

Chinese

		to be not at; to be out; to be dead to be not at; to be out; to be dead; to have passed away	his; her; its his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it)	position; location; (measure word for persons) position; location; (measure word for persons); place; seat		not; no	to plan; seek; scheme	his; her; its his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it)	political; politics; government
trad. (不在其位，不謀其政)		不在	其	位	，	不	謀	其	政
simp. (不在其位，不谋其政)		不在	其	位	，	不	谋	其	政

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 8 (《論語·泰伯》):

子曰：「不在其位，不謀其政。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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子曰：「不在其位，不谋其政。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

Zǐyuē: “Bùzài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng.” [Pinyin]

The Master said, "He who is not in any particular office has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bù zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄨㄟˋ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄡˊ ㄑㄧˊ ㄓㄥˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): bat¹ zoi⁶ kei⁴ wai⁶, bat¹ mau⁴ kei⁴ zing³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bù zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng [Phonetic: bú zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng]
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄨㄟˋ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄡˊ ㄑㄧˊ ㄓㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bù zài cí wèi, bù móu cí jhèng
    • Wade–Giles: pu⁴ tsai⁴ chʻi² wei⁴, pu⁴ mou² chʻi² chêng⁴
    • Yale: bù dzài chí wèi-, bù móu chí jèng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bu tzay chyi wey, bu mou chyi jenq
    • Palladius: бу цзай ци вэй, бу моу ци чжэн (bu czaj ci vɛj, bu mou ci čžɛn)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ moʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: bat¹ zoi⁶ kei⁴ wai⁶, bat¹ mau⁴ kei⁴ zing³
    • Yale: bāt joih kèih waih, bāt màuh kèih jing
    • Cantonese Pinyin: bat⁷ dzoi⁶ kei⁴ wai⁶, bat⁷ mau⁴ kei⁴ dzing³
    • Guangdong Romanization: bed¹ zoi⁶ kéi⁴ wei⁶, bed¹ meo⁴ kéi⁴ jing³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɐt̚⁵ t͡sɔːi̯²² kʰei̯²¹ wɐi̯²² pɐt̚⁵ mɐu̯²¹ kʰei̯²¹ t͡sɪŋ³³/

Proverb

不在其位，不謀其政

1. If you do not hold the post, do not meddle in the affairs of that post.