學而優則仕

See also: 学而优则仕

Chinese

		learn; study; science learn; study; science; ‑ology	and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)	excellent; superior	(expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm (expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm; rule; to imitate; to follow; then; principle	an official
trad. (學而優則仕)		學	而	優	則	仕
simp. (学而优则仕)		学	而	优	则	仕

Etymology

The Analects:

子夏曰：『仕而優則學，學而優則仕。』 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

子夏曰：‘仕而优则学，学而优则仕。’ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

Zǐxià yuē: ‘Shì ér yōu zé xué, xué ér yōu zé shì.’ [Pinyin]

Zi Xia said, “The officer, having discharged all his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer.”

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): xué ér yōu zé shì
(Zhuyin): ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄦˊ ㄧㄡㄗㄜˊ ㄕˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): hok⁶ ji⁴ jau¹ zak¹ si⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xué ér yōu zé shì
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄩㄝˊ ㄦˊ ㄧㄡㄗㄜˊ ㄕˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: syué ér you zé shìh
  - Wade–Giles: hsüeh² êrh² yu¹ tsê² shih⁴
  - Yale: sywé ér yōu dzé shr̀
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyue erl iou tzer shyh
  - Palladius: сюэ эр ю цзэ ши (sjue er ju czɛ ši)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕɥɛ³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ joʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: hok⁶ ji⁴ jau¹ zak¹ si⁶
  - Yale: hohk yìh yāu jāk sih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: hok⁹ ji⁴ jau¹ dzak⁷ si⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: hog⁶ yi⁴ yeo¹ zeg¹ xi⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɔːk̚² jiː²¹ jɐu̯⁵⁵ t͡sɐk̚⁵ siː²²/

Proverb

學而優則仕

The student, having completed his studies, should enter into government service.

Usage notes

學而優則仕 is both a proverb and a chengyu.

Derived terms

學優而仕／学优而仕 (xuéyōu'érshì)