述而不作

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Chinese

to state; to tell; to narrate
to state; to tell; to narrate; to relate
 
and; as well as; but (not)
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
 
 not; no
to regard as; to take (someone) for; to do
to regard as; to take (someone) for; to do; to make
 
trad. (述而不作) 述 而 不 作
simp. #(述而不作) 述 而 不 作

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 7 (《論語·述而》):

子曰：「述而不作，信而好古，竊比於我老彭。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子曰：「述而不作，信而好古，窃比于我老彭。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyuē: “Shù ér bùzuò, xìn ér hàogǔ, qiè bǐ yú wǒ Lǎopéng.”
The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with the Venerable Peng."

The identity of 老彭 was unclear. According to the Elder Dai's Book of Rites (《大戴禮記》), a wise nobleman of the Shang-era bore that appellation.

Pronunciation

Idiom

述而不作

  1. (literary) to refrain from unwarranted innovations; to resist the temptation to speculate

Usage notes

Typically used in the context of historiography, textual criticism, classical studies, translation, etc.

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