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君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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Japanese
Etymology
Calque of Literary Chinese 君子之交淡如水 (jūnzǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ) from Zhuangzi:
君子之交淡如水，小人之交甘若醴。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]- From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
- Jūnzǐzhījiāodànrúshuǐ, xiǎorénzhījiāogānruòlǐ.
- The friendship between men of virtue is clear like water (of no flavor, but free of harmful substances -- i.e. self-interest). The friendship between lesser men is sweet like wine (lacking true substance).
Can be analyzed as follow: 君子 (“man of virtue”) + の + 交わり (“friendship”) + は + 淡き (“flavorless”) + こと + 水 (“water”) + の + 如し (“like”).
Proverb
君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し • (kunshi no majiwari wa awaki koto mizu no gotoshi)
- true friendship between two people of accomplishment needs not be overly demonstrative