家喻戶曉

From Liu Zongyuan's famous prose The New Hall of Prefect Wei of Yongzhou:

見公之作，知公之志。公之因土而得勝，豈不欲因俗以成化？公之擇惡而取美，豈不欲除殘而佑仁？公之蠲濁而流清，豈不欲廢貪而立廉？公之居高以望遠，豈不欲家撫而戶曉？ [Literary Chinese, trad.]

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见公之作，知公之志。公之因土而得胜，岂不欲因俗以成化？公之择恶而取美，岂不欲除残而佑仁？公之蠲浊而流清，岂不欲废贪而立廉？公之居高以望远，岂不欲家抚而户晓？ [Literary Chinese, simp.]

From: 812, 柳宗元,《永州韋使君新堂記》, transl. Gladys Yang & Yang Xianyi

Jiàn gōng zhī zuò, zhī gōng zhī zhì. Gōng zhī yīn tǔ ér déshèng, qǐbù yù yīn sú yǐ chénghuà? Gōng zhī zé è ér qǔ měi, qǐbù yù chú cán ér yòu rén? Gōng zhī juān zhuó ér liú qīng, qǐbù yù fèi tān ér lì lián? Gōng zhī jū gāo yǐ wàng yuǎn, qǐbù yù jiā fǔ ér hù xiǎo? [Pinyin]

From what you have accomplished, sir, we see your ideal. You want to create beauty befitting the terrain; this surely means that you want to rule according to local customs. You select what is beautiful among what is ugly; this surely means that you want to get rid of despots and help the good. You dredge muddy streams to make them flow clear; this surely means that you want to dismiss corrupt officials and appoint honest men. You have built this hall on a height to command a view of the distance; this surely means that you want all local households to be familiar with your instructions.

Note that in certain versions of this text, 饒／饶 (ráo, “prosperous”) is in place of 曉／晓 (xiǎo, “to know”).

家喻戶曉

1. known to every household; ubiquitously known; widespread; extremely well-known

• 家傳戶曉／家传户晓 (jiāchuánhùxiǎo)