Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 28, Text 3
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Grammatical Section
INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES.
The particle 者
The particle 者 is used in the following ways:
- 者 is often joined to individual words in order to emphasize them. In such cases 者 is sometimes preceded by 也:
- a) joined to adjectives (ex. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
- b) joined to nouns (ex. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12).
- c) joined to proper names (ex. 13, 14).
- d) joined to adverbs (ex. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19).
- e) joined to numerals (ex. 20, 21, 22).
- f) joined to negatives (ex. 23).
- g) joined to pronouns (ex. 27).
- Joined to verbs 者 forms:
- a) gerunds or verbal nouns (ex. 25, 26, 27, 28).
- b) participles (ex. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36).
- The combination 所 ... 者 with a verb put between, forms an adjective clause: “that which “those who “, and also verbal nouns. (ex. 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44).
- 者 is also used in some conventional phrases which serve as headings in letters, petitions and official communications, and as concluding phrases in official despatches (ex. 45, 46, 47, 48, 49).
Examples of using the particle 者
① 事有難者易者。
There are difficult affairs, and there are easy ones.
② 國有强者弱者。
There are strong states, and there are weak ones.
③ 鄉人之善者好之。其不善者惡之。
The good people in the neighbourhood love him, and the bad hate him.
④ 子曰。君子而不仁者。有矣夫。未有小人而仁者也。
The Master said, “Superior men who were not virtuous, there have been. But there never has been a mean man who at the same time was virtuous.”
⑤ 仁者必有勇。勇者不必有仁。
The benevolent must have courage; the courageous are not sure to possess benevolence.
⑥ 彼姝者子。
That lovely girl.
⑦ 彼蒼者天。
That azure sky.
⑧ 王者舟也。民者水也。
The king is (like) a boat; the people are (like) the water.
⑨ 誠者物之終始。
Sincerity is the end and beginning of things.
⑩ 孝者所以事君也。弟者所以事長也。慈者所以便衆也。
Filial piety is that with which the sovereign should be served. Fraternal submission is that with which elders should be served. Kindness is that with which the multitude should be treated.
⑪ 和也者。天下之達道也。
Harmony is the universal path.
⑫ 道也者。不可須臾離也。
The path should not be left for an instant.
⑬ 有顏回者好學。
There was Yen-hui, he loved learning.
⑭ 魯平公將出。嬖人臧倉者。請日。
The duke P'ing of Lu was about to leave, when his favorite Tsang-ts'ang made a request to him saying...
⑮ 或者。
Perhaps.
⑯ 再者。
Further.
⑰ 茲者。
Now.
⑱ 古者。天子親耕。
In antiquity the Emperor himself ploughed.
⑲ 始者。不如今。
Before (in the beginning) it was worse than now.
⑳ 二者。不可得兼。
Impossible to get the two together.
㉑ 孔子曰。能行五者於天下爲仁矣。
Confucius said, “To be able to practise the five (things) constitutes under heaven perfect virtue.”
㉒ 三者之中。
Among the three.
㉓ 不者。且有火患。
(If) not, (then) there will be a fire.
㉔ 何者爲重。
Which is the most important?
㉕ 耕種者。農夫之事也。
Farming is the business of laborers.
㉖ 其難辦者。一也。
This is the first difficult point in the matter.
㉗ 以足民者裕國。
To benefit the state by satisfying the people.
㉘ 不告而取者竊盜耳。
To take without telling is theft.
㉙ 知者不言。言者不知也。
Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know.
㉚ 子曰。知之者不如好之者。
The Master said, “Those who know it (virtue) are not equal to those who love it.”
㉛ 子曰。吾未見能見其過者。
The Master said, “I have not seen any one who can see his faults.”
㉜ 有德者必有言。有言者不必有德。
Those who have virtue are certain to be able to speak (lit. to have words); those who can speak are not certain to have virtue.
㉝ 未有己不正而能正人者。
There has never been any one who not being correct himself was able to correct others.
㉞ 劫財者。稱爲強盜。
Those who carry off property are called robbers.
㉟ 凡爲地方官者。
All those who are local authorities.
㊱ 嗣後有案情似此者。
From this time forth in all cases in which the circumstances resemble these.
㊲ 所能爲者必爲之。
What I can do I certainly will do.
㊳ 我所慮者惟此事耳。
I am anxious about this question only.
㊴ 我所愛者。惟書而已。
I love books only.
㊵ 所謂大臣者。以道事君。
Those who are called great ministers serve their prince in accordance with righteousness.
㊶ 其所厚者薄。而其所薄者厚。
It never has been the case that what was of great importance was slightly cared for, and what was of slight importance was greatly cared for.
㊷ 於所厚者薄無所不薄。
He, who is careless in what is important, will be careless in every thing.
㊸ 所謂齊其家。在修其身者。人之其所親愛。而辟焉。
(The meaning of) the expression, “The regulation of one's family depends on the cultivation of his person” (is this): men are partial where they feel affection and love.
㊹ 所謂修身在正其心者。身有所忿懥。則不得其正。
(The meaning of) the expression, “The cultivation of one's nature depends on rectifying his heart” (is this): if a man be under the influence of passion, he will be incorrect in his conduct.
㊺ 啓者。
To begin.--I beg to inform.
㊻ 敬禀者。
I beg respectfully to petition.
㊼ 敬覆者。
I beg to reply.
㊽ 須至照會者。
A necessary-to-be-sent despatch (a conventional phrase used at the end of official communications).
㊾ 須至照復者。
A necessary-to-be-sent reply.