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 sth preceding it)	muddle-headed; twilight; to faint muddle-headed; twilight; to faint; to lose consciousness	muddle-headed; twilight; to faint muddle-headed; twilight; to faint; to lose consciousness		to make; to cause; to enable to make; to cause; to enable; to use; to employ; messenger	man; person; people	illustrious; manifest	illustrious; manifest
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。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

孟子曰：“贤者以其昭昭，使人昭昭；今以其昏昏，使人昭昭。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, circa 4^th 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 ㄏㄨㄣㄏㄨㄣ, ㄕˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓㄠㄓㄠ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: yǐqíhūnhūn, shǐrénzhāozhāo
  - Zhuyin: ㄧˇ ㄑㄧˊ ㄏㄨㄣㄏㄨㄣ, ㄕˇ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓㄠㄓㄠ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yiichyihuenhuen, shyyrenjaujau
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yǐcíhunhun, shǐhrénjhaojhao
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ xwən⁵⁵ xwən⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

Phrase

以其昏昏，使人昭昭

(derogatory) to light the way for others despite one is in darkness themselves