以其昏昏，使人昭昭

Chinese

to use; according to; so as to
to use; according to; so as to; in order to; by; with; because; Israel (abbrev.)
 
his; her; its
his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to something preceding it)
 
to make; to cause; to enable
to make; to cause; to enable; to use; to employ; messenger
 
 man; person; people
bright; brilliant; understanding
bright; brilliant; understanding; enlightened
 
trad. (以其昏昏，使人昭昭) 以 其 昏昏 ， 使 人 昭昭
simp. #(以其昏昏，使人昭昭) 以 其 昏昏 ， 使 人 昭昭

Etymology

From Mencius:

孟子曰：「賢者以其昭昭，使人昭昭；今以其昏昏，使人昭昭。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
孟子曰：「贤者以其昭昭，使人昭昭；今以其昏昏，使人昭昭。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE
Mèngzǐ yuē: “Xiánzhě yǐ qí zhāozhāo, shǐ rén zhāozhāo; jīn yǐqíhūnhūn, shǐrénzhāozhāo.” [Pinyin]
Mencius said,"Anciently, men of virtue and talents by means of their own enlightenment made others enlightened. Nowadays, it is tried, while they are themselves in darkness, and by means of that darkness, to make others enlightened."

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): yǐqíhūnhūn, shǐrénzhāozhāo
    (Zhuyin): ㄧˇ ㄑㄧˊ ㄏㄨㄣ ㄏㄨㄣ , ㄕˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓㄠ ㄓㄠ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: yǐqíhūnhūn, shǐrénzhāozhāo
      • Zhuyin: ㄧˇ ㄑㄧˊ ㄏㄨㄣ ㄏㄨㄣ , ㄕˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓㄠ ㄓㄠ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: yǐcíhunhun, shǐhrénjhaojhao
      • Wade–Giles: i3-chʻi2-hun1-hun1, shih3-jên2-chao1-chao1
      • Yale: yǐ-chí-hwūn-hwūn-, shř-rén-jāu-jāu
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yiichyihuenhuen, shyyrenjaujau
      • Palladius: ицихуньхунь, шижэньчжаочжао (icixunʹxunʹ, šižɛnʹčžaočžao)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /i²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ xu̯ən⁵⁵ xu̯ən⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

Phrase

以其昏昏，使人昭昭

  1. (derogatory) to light the way for others despite being in darkness themselves
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