慎終追遠

Chinese

		cautious	end; finish	pursue (a problem); to chase	far; distant; remote
trad. (慎終追遠)		慎	終	追	遠
simp. (慎终追远)		慎	终	追	远

Etymology

From the Analects:

曾子曰：「慎終追遠，民德歸厚矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

曾子曰：“慎终追远，民德归厚矣。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

Zēngzǐ yuē: “Shènzhōngzhuīyuǎn, míndé guī hòu yǐ.” [Pinyin]

The philosopher Zeng said, "Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice - then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence."

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): shènzhōngzhuīyuǎn
(Zhuyin): ㄕㄣˋ ㄓㄨㄥㄓㄨㄟㄩㄢˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): san⁶ zung¹ zeoi¹ jyun⁵

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shènzhōngzhuīyuǎn
  - Zhuyin: ㄕㄣˋ ㄓㄨㄥㄓㄨㄟㄩㄢˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shènjhongjhueiyuǎn
  - Wade–Giles: shên⁴-chung¹-chui¹-yüan³
  - Yale: shèn-jūng-jwēi-ywǎn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shennjongjueiyeuan
  - Palladius: шэньчжунчжуйюань (šɛnʹčžunčžujjuanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂweɪ̯⁵⁵ ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: san⁶ zung¹ zeoi¹ jyun⁵
  - Yale: sahn jūng jēui yúhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: san⁶ dzung¹ dzoey¹ jyn⁵
  - Guangdong Romanization: sen⁶ zung¹ zêu¹ yun⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐn²² t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡ʃɵy̯⁵⁵ jyːn¹³/

Idiom

慎終追遠

to cautiously perform the funeral rituals to deceased parents and sincerely pay homage to them at ceremonies