朝聞道，夕死可矣

See also: 朝闻道，夕死可矣

Chinese

		morning; to face; towards morning; to face; towards; facing; direct; a dynasty; the imperial court; Korea, esp. N. Korea (abbrev.)	hear; news; celebrated hear; news; celebrated; sniff at	direction; way; method direction; way; method; road; path; principle; truth; reason; skill; Tao (of Taoism); a measure word; to say; to speak; to talk		dusk; evening	to die; impassable; uncrossable to die; impassable; uncrossable; inflexible; rigid	can; may; able to can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)	final particle
trad. (朝聞道，夕死可矣)		朝	聞	道	，	夕	死	可	矣
simp. (朝闻道，夕死可矣)		朝	闻	道	，	夕	死	可	矣

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 4 (《論語·里仁》):

子曰：「朝聞道，夕死可矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

子曰：「朝闻道，夕死可矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

Zǐyuē: “Zhāo wén dào, xī sǐ kě yǐ.” [Pinyin]

The Master said, "If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening without regret."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zhāo wén dào, xī sǐ kě yǐ, zhāo wén dào, xì sǐ kě yǐ

  (Zhuyin): ㄓㄠ ㄨㄣˊ ㄉㄠˋ , ㄒㄧ ㄙˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ, ㄓㄠ ㄨㄣˊ ㄉㄠˋ , ㄒㄧˋ ㄙˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ziu¹ man⁴ dou⁶, zik⁶ sei² ho² ji⁵

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhāo wén dào, xī sǐ kě yǐ [Phonetic: zhāowéndào,xīsíkéyǐ]
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄠ ㄨㄣˊ ㄉㄠˋ , ㄒㄧ ㄙˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhao wún dào, si sǐh kě yǐ
    • Wade–Giles: chao¹ wên² tao⁴, hsi¹ ssŭ³ kʻo³ i³
    • Yale: jāu wén dàu-, syī sž kě yǐ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jau wen daw, shi syy kee yii
    • Palladius: чжао вэнь дао, си сы кэ и (čžao vɛnʹ dao, si sy kɛ i)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ wən³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ ɕi⁵⁵ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhāo wén dào, xì sǐ kě yǐ [Phonetic: zhāowéndào,xìsíkéyǐ]
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄠ ㄨㄣˊ ㄉㄠˋ , ㄒㄧˋ ㄙˇ ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhao wún dào, sì sǐh kě yǐ
    • Wade–Giles: chao¹ wên² tao⁴, hsi⁴ ssŭ³ kʻo³ i³
    • Yale: jāu wén dàu-, syì sž kě yǐ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jau wen daw, shih syy kee yii
    • Palladius: чжао вэнь дао, си сы кэ и (čžao vɛnʹ dao, si sy kɛ i)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ wən³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi⁵¹ sz̩²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: ziu¹ man⁴ dou⁶, zik⁶ sei² ho² ji⁵
    • Yale: jīu màhn douh, jihk séi hó yíh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dziu¹ man⁴ dou⁶, dzik⁹ sei² ho² ji⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: jiu¹ men⁴ dou⁶, jig⁶ séi² ho² yi⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siːu̯⁵⁵ mɐn²¹ tou̯²² t͡sɪk̚² sei̯³⁵ hɔː³⁵ jiː¹³/

Proverb

朝聞道，夕死可矣

1. if in the morning I were to gain knowledge of the correct path in life, I would be able to die at sunset without regrets

Descendants

• → Japanese: 朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり (ashita ni michi o kikaba yūbe ni shisu tomo ka nari) (calque)