Four Books; Confucian classics
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
the Four Books (the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects of Confucius, and Mencius)
formalCollective term for the four core Confucian texts that became the basis of civil service examinations during the Song Dynasty. Always used with the definite article 'the' in English.
Sì四
shū书
shì是
Zhōng中
guó国
gǔ古
dài代
Rú儒
jiā家
zuì最
zhòng重
yào要
de的
jīng经
diǎn典
。
The Four Books are the most important classics of ancient Chinese Confucianism.
Zhū朱
Xī熹
wèi为
Sì四
shū书
zuò作
le了
jí集
zhù注
，
chēng称
wéi为
《
Sì四
shū书
zhāng章
jù句
jí集
zhù注
》
。
Zhu Xi compiled annotations for the Four Books, known as the 'Collected Commentaries on the Four Books'.
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Cóng从
Sòng宋
dài代
kāi开
shǐ始
，
Sì四
shū书
chéng成
wéi为
kē科
jǔ举
kǎo考
shì试
de的
bì必
dú读
shū书
mù目
。
Beginning with the Song Dynasty, the Four Books became required reading for the imperial civil examinations.
Tā他
cóng从
xiǎo小
shú熟
dú读
Sì四
shū书
Wǔ五
jīng经
，
dǎ打
xià下
le了
zā扎
shi实
de的
guó国
xué学
jī基
chǔ础
。
He studied the Four Books and Five Classics thoroughly from childhood, establishing a solid foundation in classical Chinese learning.