Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 24, Text 3
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Grammatical section
THE PREPOSITIONAL PARTICLES.
So called prepositional particles play the same part in the Wen-li style as prepositions in the European languages. They are very numerous, and the following are the most important of them:
Used before the obiect
- 於, 于 in; at; on; to; for; by, then.
- 爲 because of; for; by.
- 自 from.
- 從 from; by; through; since.
- 由 from; by; because of.
- 諸 at; on; in; to; about.
- 乎 in; at; from; than.
- 以 by; through; with.
- 以 a sign of the object.
- 至 to; at; up to; till.
- 用 by; with; from.
- 與 with; for; to.
- 將 a sign of the object.
- 被 by.
- 代 in place of; on behalf of.
- 按 in accordance with.
- 向 toward; to.
- 同 with; together with.
- 距 from; at a distance from.
- 離 from.
- 在 at; on; in.
Used after the object
- 內 within; in; among.
- 外 without; beyond; outside.
- 下 below; beneath; under.
- 中 within; in; among.
- 間 during; in; among.
- 前 before; in front of.
- 上 on; above; upon.
- 後 behind; after.
- 旁 near; by; beside.
Note 1. The particles 與 and 以 as a sign of the object sometimes are used without the object leaving the latter to be surmised (see lesson XXV, gram. section, ex. 8, 9, 18, 19, 20).
Note 2. The particle 以 sometimes is used after the object (see lesson XXV, gr. section, ex. 3).
Note 3. The prepositional particles used after the object sometimes are combined with 於 put before the object (see lesson XXV, gr. section, ex. 39, 41, 47, 53).
Examples of using the prepositional particles:
① 於同治三年。
In the 3rd year of T'ung-chih.
② 於彼時。
At that time.
③ 於今。
At present.
④ 於進口之時。
At the time of entering the port.
⑤ 於是日。
On that day.
⑥ 於斯三者何先。
Which is the first of these three?
⑦ 於該處。
At the said place.
⑧ 於稅餉無甚出入。
It makes no great difference in the revenue.
⑨ 於商人有便。
Convenient for merchants.
⑩ 不求於人。
Not to ask from others.
⑪ 問於我。
(He) learned (it) from me.
⑫ 異於常年。
Different from ordinary years.
⑬ 無異於良民。
Not to be distinguished from respectable citizens.
⑭ 難於虛始。易於圖終。
It is difficult to make arrangements for the beginning. It is easy to make plans for the completion.
⑮ 易於上岸。
Easy to land.
⑯ 不足於耕。
Not sufficient for cultivation.
⑰ 死之於刀。
Killed him with a sword.
⑱ 無常職。而賜於上者。以爲不恭也。
He who without a regular office receives the pay of the prince must be deemed disrespectful.
⑲ 水高於岸。
The water is higher than the bank.
⑳ 莫大於天。
There is nothing greater than God.
㉑ 生亦我所欲。所欲有甚於生者。故不爲苟得也。
I also like life, but there is that which I like more than life, and therefore I will not seek to possess it by any improper way.
㉒ 爲人所知。
To be known by others.
㉓ 爲火所燬。
Destroyed by fire.
㉔ 爲捕役執去。
Arrested by constables.
㉕ 爲今之計。
A plan for the present juncture.
㉖ 爲國致命。
To die for one's country.
㉗ 爲人爲。
To act on behalf of others.
㉘ 非夫人之爲慟。而誰爲。
If I am not to mourn for this man, from whom should I mourn?
㉙ 自古至今。
From of old until now.
㉚ 自今日起。
Beginning from today.
㉛ 自始至終。
From beginning to end.
㉜ 此人來自內地。
This man comes from the interior.
㉝ 自接函之時。
Ever since the receipt of the letter.
㉞ 從今而後。
Henceforth.
㉟ 病從口入。
Disease enters by the mouth.
㊱ 自頭至尾。
From first to last.
㊲ 諸將皆從壁上觀。
All generals were looking from the wall.
㊳ 自淺入深。
From shallow to deep.
㊴ 由此門進。
Go in by this door.
㊵ 子曰。誰能出不由戶何。何莫由斯道也。
The Master said, “Who can go out but by the door? How is it that (men) will not walk according to these ways?”
㊶ 由水道。
By water.
㊷ 由陸路。
By land.
㊸ 由天而降。
To come down from heaven.
㊹ 不由人算。
Not within the calculations of mortals.
㊺ 由領事官筋該商。
The consul instructed the said merchant.
㊻ 遇諸路。
To meet on the road.
㊼ 子貢曰。我不欲人之加諸我也。吾亦欲無加諸人。
Tzu-kung said, “What I do not wish men to do to me, I also do not wish to do to men.”
㊽ 告諸其父。
Told (it) to his father.
㊾ 吾聞諸夫子。
I heard (this) from our Master.
㊿ 有不知問諸人。
If you do not know, ask others.
51 子曰。君子求諸己。小人求諸人。
The Master said, “The superior man seeks from himself; the mean man seeks from others.”
52 告子曰。性猶湍水也。决諸東方。則東流。决諸西方則西流。
The philosopher Kao said, “(Man's) nature is like a stream of water. Open a passage for it to the east, and it will flow to the east; open a passage for it to the west, and it will flow to the west.”
53 吾一日長乎爾。
I am a day older than you.
54 不敬。莫大平是。
There is nothing worse than irreverence (lit. irreverence—-there is nothing worse than that).
55 在乎彼。
It consists in that.
56 合乎此。
Agreeing with this.
57 異平此。
Differing from this.
58 我在此。
I am here.
59 罪不在我。
It is not my fault.
60 懷恨在心。
To harbor resentment in one's heart.