求仁得仁

Chinese

		to seek; to look for; to request to seek; to look for; to request; to demand; to beseech	humane; kernel	get; obtain; gain get; obtain; gain; proper; suitable; proud; contented; allow; permit; ready; finished; a sentence particle used after a verb to show effect; degree or possibility; to have to; must; ought to; to need to	humane; kernel
simp. and trad. (求仁得仁)		求	仁	得	仁
Literally: “seek virtue and acquire it”.

Etymology

The Analects:

冉有曰：「夫子為衛君乎？」子貢曰：「諾。吾將問之。」入，曰：「伯夷、叔齊何人也？」曰：「古之賢人也。」曰：「怨乎？」曰：「求仁而得仁，又何怨？」出，曰：「夫子不為也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

冉有曰：“夫子为卫君乎？”子贡曰：“诺。吾将问之。”入，曰：“伯夷、叔齐何人也？”曰：“古之贤人也。”曰：“怨乎？”曰：“求仁而得仁，又何怨？”出，曰：“夫子不为也。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, Wiktionary translation

Rǎnyǒu yuē: “Fūzǐ wèi wèi jūn hū?” Zǐgòng yuē: “Nuò. Wú jiāng wèn zhī.” Rù, yuē: “Bóyí, Shūqí hérén yě?” Yuē: “Gǔ zhī xiánrén yě.” Yuē: “Yuàn hū?” Yuē: “Qiú rén ér dé rén, yòu hé yuàn?” Chū, yuē: “Fūzǐ bù wèi yě.” [Pinyin]

Ran You said, "Is our Master for the ruler of Wei?" Zi Gong said, "Oh! I will ask him." He went in accordingly, and said, "What sort of men were Boyi and Shuqi?" "They were ancient worthies," said the Master. "Did they have any repinings because of their course?" The Master again replied, "They sought to act virtuously, and they did so; what was there for them to repine about?" On this, Zi Gong went out and said, "Our Master is not for him."

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): qiúréndérén
(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄜˊ ㄖㄣˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): kau⁴ jan⁴ dak¹ jan⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qiúréndérén
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄜˊ ㄖㄣˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cióuréndérén
  - Wade–Giles: chʻiu²-jên²-tê²-jên²
  - Yale: chyóu-rén-dé-rén
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chyourenderren
  - Palladius: цюжэньдэжэнь (cjužɛnʹdɛžɛnʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰjoʊ̯³⁵ ʐən³⁵ tɤ³⁵ ʐən³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: kau⁴ jan⁴ dak¹ jan⁴
  - Yale: kàuh yàhn dāk yàhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: kau⁴ jan⁴ dak⁷ jan⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: keo⁴ yen⁴ deg¹ yen⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐu̯²¹ jɐn²¹ tɐk̚⁵ jɐn²¹/

Idiom

求仁得仁

to have one's wish fulfilled

Usage notes

This idiom is often used sarcastically nowadays.