Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 8, Text 3
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Grammatical section
轉折字 The adversative particles.
The adversative particles connect individual words or sentences one of which is contrasted with, or set against, another. This kind of structure is very similar to so called adversative coordinate conjunctions, and the adversative particles very much correspond to the expressions: but, still, yet, however etc.
These particles are:
而 乃 猶 故 會 然 然而 顧 夫
Examples of using the adversative particles.
① 刃短而利
The knife is short but sharp.
② 欲滅跡而走雪中
He wishes to hide his foot-steps, and yet he walks in the snow.
③ 萬川歸海而不盈
Myriad streams run into the sea, and yet it does not over-flow.
④ 子曰貧而無怨難。富而無驕易。
The Master said, “To be poor and yet not murmur is difficult. To be rich and yet not be proud is easy”.
⑤ 我乃不願忘之
However I am not willing to forget it.
⑥ 乃所願。則學孔子也.
But what I wish is to learn (to be like) Confucius.
⑦ 始未嘗信。今乃知之。
At first I did not believe but now I know it.
⑧ 經目之事猶恐未真
Things which have passed before the eyes, one still fears that they are not true.
⑨ 寡人之園方四十里。民猶以爲大。何也。
My park contains (only) forty square “li”, and people still look on it as large. How is this?
⑩ 天作孽猶可違。自作孽不可活。
When Heaven sends down calamities, it it still possible to escape them. When we occasion the calamities ourselves, it is not possible any longer to live
⑪ 明知故犯
To be quite aware (of what one is doing) and yet to commit crime.
⑫ 故蹈前徹
Still to walk in the old ways (of wickedness).
⑬ 有酒食先生饌。會是以爲孝乎。
When (the young) have wine and food, they set (them) before their elders. But is this to be considered filial piety?
⑭ 吾以子爲異之問。會由與求之問。
I thought you would ask about some extraordinary individuals. But you only ask about Yu and Ch'iu. <!--(之 in both cases is expletive.)-->
⑮ 事雖小。然不作不成。
Though a matter be small, yet if one does not do it, it will not be accomplished.
⑯ 雖未目擊。然已耳聞。
Although I did not see it with my eyes. I heard it with my ears.
⑰ 雖不肯費錢。然而必有他故。
Though he says he does not wish to spend money, yet he must have other reasons.
⑱ 上有大澤。則惠必及下。顧上先下後耳。
If above there be a big source of benevolence, then favor certainly will flow down. But first it will reach those who are above, and then those who are below.
⑲ 卿非刺客。顧說客耳。
Sir, you are not a killer of men, but only a good talker!
⑳ 吾下之好鼓樂。夫何使我至於此極也。
Our king likes music. But why does he reduce us to this extremity (of distress)?