慎終追遠

Chinese

		cautious	end; finish	pursue (a problem); to chase	far; distant; remote
trad. (慎終追遠)		慎	終	追	遠
simp. (慎终追远)		慎	终	追	远

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 1 (《論語·學而》):

曾子曰：「慎終追遠，民德歸厚矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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曾子曰：「慎终追远，民德归厚矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

Zēngzǐ yuē: “Shènzhōngzhuīyuǎn, mín dé guī hòu yǐ.” [Pinyin]

The philosopher Zeng said, "Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice - then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shènzhōngzhuīyuǎn

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣˋ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄓㄨㄟ ㄩㄢˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): san⁶ zung¹ zeoi¹ jyun⁵

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shènzhōngzhuīyuǎn
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄣˋ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄓㄨㄟ ㄩㄢˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shènjhongjhueiyuǎn
    • Wade–Giles: shên⁴-chung¹-chui¹-yüan³
    • Yale: shèn-jūng-jwēi-ywǎn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shennjongjueiyeuan
    • Palladius: шэньчжунчжуйюань (šɛnʹčžunčžujjuanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: san⁶ zung¹ zeoi¹ jyun⁵
    • Yale: sahn jūng jēui yúhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: san⁶ dzung¹ dzoey¹ jyn⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: sen⁶ zung¹ zêu¹ yun⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐn²² t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɵy̯⁵⁵ jyːn¹³/

Idiom

慎終追遠

1. to cautiously perform the funeral rituals to deceased parents and sincerely pay homage to them at ceremonies