Taxonomy of meanings for 君子:　　

  • 反切： ； 聲調： ； 廣韻：【 】
    • GENTLEMAN
      • NPnonreferentialthe person of elevated social status　與野人相對
      • NPdefinitethe gentlemen (of a certain time or place) 其君子
      • NPindefinitecommendatory/honorific: members of the ruling class; men of superior rank　君子食其味焉
      • NP{PRED}socialis a member of the ruling class　君子也
      • NPanaphoricthe person of high rank mentioned above; the person in charge>the ruler> my ruler侍坐於君子，君子問更端 often works like a NP[post-N]@soc.si.def "my (one and only) lord
      • NPindefinitea person of high rank, a gentleman　侍坐於君子，
      • NPabwordthe word 'junzi'　君子也者，人之成名也。
      • NPadNof the nature of a gentleman, of the nobility of a gentleman
      • VPisocialbelong to the ruling class　君子而不仁
      • NPpost-Nsuperlativemost gentleman-like> most distinguished among the N
      • NPabconceptbeing a gentlemanCH
      • OFFICIAL
        • NPpluralofficials of state
        • OFFICER
            • GOOD
              • NPdefinitethe true gentlemen; the men of noble character (of a certain time or place) [predicate tensed] 古之君子
              • NPindefinitetrue gentlemen, people of moral superior character
              • NPdefinitetrue gentleman 吾先君子
              • NPnonreferentiala true gentleman; a person of superior character; the person of superior character 得見君子者斯可矣。
              • NPabconceptthe notion of a true gentleman; person of superior character　子路問君子
              • NPabactbeing a true gentleman; acting like a gentleman　射有似乎君子
              • NPadNgentlemanly, of the gentlemanly type　女為君子儒
              • NPadNnonreferentialcharacteristic of a true gentleman; in modifying position 君子之道 [NOT: the Way of gentleman X]
              • NPpost-V{NUM}true gentleman;distinguished man of superior character 此六君子者
              • VPiactto behave as a true gentleman, to comport oneself as a true gentleman 其爭也君子
              • VPipsychbe gentlemanly; be high-minded 君子哉！; be superior as a person 不亦君子乎; be worthy of a person of superior character
              • NP{PRED}be a true gentleman
              • NPironicthe "true gentlemen"
              • NPindefinitea true gentleman; a man of character
              • FRIEND
                • NP[post-npro1]definitenoble companion (of the lexically determinate speaker)
                • YOU
                  • NPpronominalyou, sir, of noble character
                  • YOU/PLUR
                    • NP[post=npro_2]pluralyou gentlemen
        • EGO
          • NPpronominal use(I) a nobleman

      Additional information about 君子

      說文解字:

        Criteria
      • VULGAR

        1. The most general current word for ordinariness or vulgarity is sú 俗 (ant. yǎ 雅 "elegant"), and the basic parameter of judging something as sú 俗 is relative status in the hierarchy.

        2. Jiàn 賤 (ant. shàn 善 "good" and also, along different lines guì 貴 "noble") refers 1. to noble status and 2. very negatively to a person or a piece of behaviour as not conforming to any demands set by nobility of purpose or status. Lòu 陋 (ant. huá 華 "elaborate and cultivated") refers to vulgarity as a negative feature of places (streets) or behaviour.

        3. Bǐ 鄙 (ant. chóng 崇 "elevated") refers to rusticity and lack cultural polish typical of a person from outlying regions, a country bumpkin.

        4. Yě 野 (ant. wén 文 "properly educacted, civilised") refers to true country style without necessarily strong negative connotations, but with clear overtones of condescension.

        5. Zhòng 眾 (ant. zhuō 卓 "outstanding") refers to what is characteristically linked to the hoi polloi, the ordinary people at large.

        6. Pǐ fū 匹夫 and bù yī 布衣 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman") refer specifically to males of the lower classes or males without public employment.

        7. Pǐ fù 匹婦 refers specifically to the wife of a person without public employment.

      • GOOD

        1. The general term for positive appraisal of human capacities of any kind is shàn 善 (ant. è 惡 "bad").

        2. Rén 仁 (ant. cán 殘 "unfeeling") refers to kind-heartedness as an attitude directed towards moral behaviour. See BENEVOLENCE

        3. Lián 廉 (ant. tān 貪 "greedy for bribery gifts") refers to moral probity and impeccability.

        4. Zhí 直 (ant. qǔ 曲 "devious") refers to moral straightforwardness and uprightness.

        5. Zhōng 衷 (ant. xié 邪 "wicked") refers to devoted uprightness of character. See also EARNEST

        6. Qīng 清 (ant. zhuó 濁 "defiled and corrupt") can be used to refer to moral purity.

        7. Shú 淑 is a highly poetic word referring to admirable moral qualities in general, typically in women.

        8. Jūn zǐ 君子 (ant. xiǎo rén 小人 "petty man") refers to high moral qualities and capacities, especially in men.

        <div>9. Zāng 臧 (pí 否 "good-for-nothing") is an archaic neutral unemotional objective term for goodness.</div><div><br></div><div>10. Rén yì 仁義, when it is not simply listing benevolence and righteousness, commonly refers quite generally (by synecdoche) to moral goodness or the moral virtues LIKE benevolence and righteousness and not in fact to just two of the virtues.<br></div><br>

      • ARTISAN

        1. The current general word for a worker or craftsman is jiàng 匠 (ant. shì 士 "freeman; scholar").

        2. Yōng 庸 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman") refers to any menial worker.

        3. Yì 役 (ant. zhǔ 主 "person in charge") refers specifically to a corvee labourer. See CORVEE LABOURER

        4. Táo 陶 "potter", páo 庖 "cook", yě 冶 "founder" are current specific terms.

        5. Zhū 侏 and rú 儒 are specific terms referring to the clowns or court entertainers. See CLOWN

      • OFFICER

        1. Jūn zǐ 君子 (xiǎo rén 小人 "soldier of lower rank") refers generically to the higher grades in the army.

        2. Kuí 魁 is a powerful personality who happens, on account of his power, to obtain military command over an army.

        3. Sīmǎ 司馬 refers to a very senior military official in the bureaucracy of the capital of a state.

        4. tài wèi 太尉 corresponds roughly to the Minister of Defense in the Qin and Han bureaucracy.

        5. Dū weì 都尉 is a senior military official in the Han bureaucracy.

        NB: For official military titles see XXX.

      • COMMONER

        1. Pǐ fū 匹夫 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman; freeman") and the rarer xì rén 細人 is a purely sociological term referring to a person without public office.

        2. Xiǎo rén 小人 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 ) is a term of moral or personal appraisal and refers to a person of minor worth or of no moral merit.

      • GENTLEMAN

        1. The current general term for a person of a certain social standing is shì 士 and this word often connotes specifically a certain level of education, particularly literacy. See INTELLECTUAL.

        2. Jūn zǐ 君子 can focus either on nobility of birth and social status. See alsounder GOOD the meaning "man of excellent character".

        3. Rú 儒 (opp. 墨 "Mohist"), literally "weakling", typically referred Late Warring States times to classicists, often from broadly Confucian circles.

        4. Xián 賢 (ant. 不肖 "person of inferior worth and talent") adds to the notion of an intellectual of some education that of special talent, and sometimes also of moral worth. See TALENT.

        5. Zhé 哲 emphasises advanced intellectual talents.

        6. Jiā 家 focusses on basic professionalism or expertise, but the term is rare in pre-Han times.

        7. Shēng 生 simply refers to literates.

      • SOLDIER

        1. There is no current general word for a soldier of any rank, and the collective term for soldiers is jūn 軍 "army". See ARMY

        2. Zú 卒 and the archaic tú 徒 refer to an ordinary infantry soldier, and these footsoldiers never ride chariots.

        3. Jiǎ 甲 refers to armoured soldiers riding in carriages.

        4. Jì 騎 refers to cavalry (Han dynasty).

        5. Nǔ 弩 refers to crossbowmen.

        6. Yì 役 refers to a conscript soldier.

        7. Xiǎo rén 小人 (jūn zǐ 君子 "soldier of a higher grade") refers generically to the lower grades in the army.

        8. Shì 士 refers to officers riding chariots in battle.

        NB: Bīng 兵 "soldier" may turn out to be post-Han. I have not yet found a clear example where the word refers to a soldier.

        Word relations
      • Inconsist: (GENTLEMAN)器/TOOL The general word for a tool for use of any kind is qì 器, but the primary meaning of the word remains "container, vessel". (For complex mechanical tools see CONTRAPTION.)
      • Ant: (GENTLEMAN)匹夫/ORDINARY Pǐ fū 匹夫 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman; freeman") and the rarer xì rén 細人 is a purely sociological term referring to a person without public office.
      • Ant: (GOOD)小人/BAD
      • Ant: (GENTLEMAN)庶人/PEOPLE Shù rén 庶人 is the technical term for the non-office-holding commoners in a country.
      • Ant: (GENTLEMAN)小民/PEOPLE
      • Ant: (GENTLEMAN)小人/ORDINARY Xiǎo rén 小人 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子) is a term of moral or personal appraisal and refers to a person of minor worth or of no moral merit.
      • Ant: (GOOD)愚/STUPID The dominant word is yú 愚 (ant. zhì 智 "clever; wise"), and the word refers to intellectual obtuseness as well as practical ineptitude.
      • Ant: (GENTLEMAN)野人/PEOPLE
      • Contrast: (GOOD)士/GENTLEMAN The current general term for a person of a certain social standing is shì 士 and this word often connotes specifically a certain level of education, particularly literacy. See INTELLECTUAL.
      • Contrast: (GENTLEMAN)聖人/HERO
      • Oppos: (GOOD)眾人 / 衆人/ORDINARY
      • Oppos: (GENTLEMAN)野人/PEOPLE
      • Oppos: (GOOD)小人/ORDINARY Xiǎo rén 小人 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子) is a term of moral or personal appraisal and refers to a person of minor worth or of no moral merit.