博文約禮

Chinese

		extensive; ample; rich extensive; ample; rich; obtain; aim; to win; to get; plentiful; to gamble	language; culture; writing language; culture; writing; formal; literary; gentle	appointment; agreement; to arrange appointment; agreement; to arrange; to restrict; approximately; weigh	gift; propriety; rite
trad. (博文約禮)		博	文	約	禮
simp. (博文约礼)		博	文	约	礼

Etymology

From the Analects:

子曰：「君子博學於文，約之以禮，亦可以弗畔矣夫！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

子曰：“君子博学于文，约之以礼，亦可以弗畔矣夫！” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐyuē: “Jūnzǐ bóxué yú wén, yuē zhī yǐ lǐ, yì kěyǐ fú pàn yǐ fū!” [Pinyin]

The Master said, "The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right."

夫子循循然善誘人，博我以文，約我以禮。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

夫子循循然善诱人，博我以文，约我以礼。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Fūzǐ xúnxúnrán shàn yòu rén, bó wǒ yǐ wén, yuē wǒ yǐ lǐ. [Pinyin]

The Master, by orderly method, skilfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bówényuēlǐ
(Zhuyin): ㄅㄛˊ ㄨㄣˊ ㄩㄝㄌㄧˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): bok³ man⁴ joek³ lai⁵

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bówényuēlǐ
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄛˊ ㄨㄣˊ ㄩㄝㄌㄧˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bówúnyuelǐ
  - Wade–Giles: po²-wên²-yüeh¹-li³
  - Yale: bwó-wén-ywē-lǐ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: borweniuelii
  - Palladius: бовэньюэли (bovɛnʹjueli)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pwɔ³⁵ wən³⁵ ɥɛ⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: bok³ man⁴ joek³ lai⁵
  - Yale: bok màhn yeuk láih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: bok⁸ man⁴ joek⁸ lai⁵
  - Guangdong Romanization: bog³ men⁴ yêg³ lei⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɔːk̚³ mɐn²¹ jœːk̚³ lɐi̯¹³/

Idiom

博文約禮

to extensively study texts and restrain oneself with propriety