Taxonomy of meanings for 順:　　

  • 順 shùn (OC: ɢjuns MC: ʑʷin) 食閏切 去 廣韻：【從也食閠切二 】
    • CONFORM
      • nabconformity, agreement
      • vtoN.adVfollowing along N to V
      • vtoNfollow the flow of> accord with, act in accordance with (something stable and preexisting); adapt properly to; conform to the ways of
      • vtoNpassivebe accorded with, be conformed to
      • vt+prep+Nconform to, be in harmony with
      • vadVaccordingly, in the same spiritCH
      • vt[adN]conformist; those who follow the rulesDS
      • vi2reciprocalbe in mutual accordanceLZ
      • with desires of others>GENTLE
        • to an offer>ACCEPT
          • inchoative>SURRENDER
            • physical: direction of movement in space>FOLLOW
              • vtoNfigurativefollow and conform toCH
              • vt(oN)follow and conform to the contextually determinate NLZ
              • vtoN.adVfigurativeto V following NCH
              • abstract>ORDER
                • abstract: commands>OBEY
                  • nabdispositionobedience, proper subordination, subservience
                  • v[adN]nonreferentialthose who are obedient
                  • vt(oN)obey the wishes and orders of the contextually determinate N
                  • vt[oN]be obedient, be not obstreporous
                  • vtoNshow proper and harmonious subordination [heed (a command)][CA]
                  • vtoNcausativecause to be obedient; make obedient
                  • nab.post-V{NUM}kinds of obedience
                  • vt+prep+Nobey
                  • vistativebe properly obedient and follow authorityCH
                  • vadNobedientLZ
                  • vadVnaturally, without resistance; obedientlyCH
                  • causative: educationally>TEACH
                    • inchoative>RALLY
                      • vtoNraly (to somebody); incline (to somebody)
                      • display publicly>FLATTER
                        • viactflatter people by conforming to their tastes
                        • vtoNflatter someone by conforming to his tastes; German: jemandem nach der Nase reden
                • feature>APPROPRIATE
                  • v[adN]N=nonhuwhat is in accordance with the normal flow of things, what is normal; what is reasonable/sensible
                  • vibe smooth, normal, and proper; follow a smooth natural course; be in accordance with what should be; be reasonable
                  • nabactnatural appropriateness in action
                  • vt[oN]stativebe in accordance [with proper practice and ritual requirements]
                  • vt(oN)causativeproperly arrange the contextually determinate NLZ
                  • vtoNcausativeproperly arrangeLZ
                  • vadVappropriately; in accordance with the normal state of beingDS
            • shùn PHILOSOPHER
              • nab= shen4 慎, the teachings of Shen4 Dao4 慎到LZ
            • shùnFLOW
              • nabprocessthe flow of timeCH
            • shùnPRINCIPLE
              • nprinciple (XUN, dubious, but according to most commentaries = 理)LZ

            Additional information about 順

            說文解字: 【順】，理也。从頁、从巛。 〔小徐本作「從頁、川聲。」〕 【食閏切】

              Criteria
            • OBEY

              1. The most current general word for obedience is probably cóng 從 (ant. jù 拒 "refuse to carry out an order"), which refers literally to the following of orders on particular occasions, and more generally to showing obedience to a person.

              2. Shùn 順 (ant. nì 逆 "refuse to conform") can refer to the conforming with a standard set by someone or an intention someone has.

              3. Fú 服 (ant. jiàng 強 "stubbornly refuse") is to submit to higher authority through obedience to its orders, and this submission may be either voluntary or enforced by circumstances.

              4. Tīng 聽 (ant. fú tīng 弗聽 "refuse to listen") refers primarily to following advice from inferiors, but the word is also used for being mindful of an order one has heard so as to carry it out.

              5. Nuò 諾 (ant. fǒu 否 "refuse to comply") is to declare an intention to do as one is told when one normally has no alternative but to obey.

            • REVOLT

              1. The current general word for staging a revolt against authorities is pàn 叛 (ant. shùn 順 "remain loyal").

              2. Luàn 亂 (ant. zhì 治 "regularly political government") refers to a major political upheaval designed to topple the reigning government.

              3. Biàn 變 (ant. cóng 從 "remain politically obedient") refers rather abstractly and neutrally to large scale or comprehensive political unrest of an unspecified character without the negative evaluation of such action which is inherent in luàn 亂.

              4. Fǎn 反 (ant. zhōng 忠 "show proper loyalty") refers to a political revolt on a lesser scale than luàn 亂, and this word always has negative overtones.

              5. Bèi 背 and bèi 倍 (ant. shùn 順 "remain loyal") refer to a defiant act of disobedience and turning against one's superiors without a necessary intention to topple these authorities.

              6. Nàn 難 (ant. xiào 效 "loyal positive effort") refers rather abstractly to political unrest of an unspecified character and focusses on this as being a threat to the ruler's authority and position.

              7. Nì 逆 (ant. shùn 順 "remain loyal") refers to political disobedience and revolt in a disapproving way.

            • APPROPRIATE

              [DYNAMIC/STATIC]

              [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

              [LASTING/TRANSITORY]

              [OBJECTIVE/SUBJECTIVE]

              1. The current general word for appropriateness of any kind is yí 宜 (ant.* fáng 妨 "contravene standards, be inappropriate").

              [GENERAL]

              2. Kě 可 refers primarily to what is subjectively or interpersonally-subjectively i.e. socially acceptable.

              [SUBJECTIVE]

              3. Shì 是 (ant. fēi 非 "what does not deserve intellectual or moral approval") refers primarily to what is right and deserving of intellectual and/or moral approval.

              [MORAL]

              4. Shì 適 and dàng 當 (both ant. guāi 乖 "in conflict with certain prevailing circumstances") refer to what is objectively fitting in certain circumstances.

              [OBJECTIVE], [TRANSITORY]

              5. Shùn 順 (ant. nì 逆 "in conflict with the natural flow of events") refers to action that fits naturally and painlessly into a certain flow of events or into a certain constellation.

              [DYNAMIC]

              6. Qí 其 is a modal particle indicating weakly and abstractly that something should probably be done or happen. The word is thus marginal in this group. See SHOULD

              [padV]

            • CONFORM

              1. Perhaps the most general and the most current word describing conformity to a norm is shùn 順 (ant. nì 逆 "go against").

              2. Yóu 由 refers to conformity construed as a matter of taking something as one's starting point or point of orientation.

              3. Dào 道 refers to conformity construed as a matter of taking one's model to define the way of doing things for one.

              4. Yǐ 以 refers to conformity construed as a matter of availing oneself of something as an instrument or guideline.

              5. Yīn 因 refers to conformity construed as a matter of adapting to pre-existing models or rules.

              6. Yuán 緣 refers to conformity construed as a matter of following something attentively in all details as a guideline.

              7. Shǒu 守 refers to conformity construed as a matter of guarding a precedent or a tradition.

              8. Zhōu 周 and hé 合 (all ant. fǎn 反 "go against the model") refer to complete all-round conformity construed as overall identification with a model.

              9. Chèn 稱 refers to conformity construed as a matter of balancing one's actions against a standard.

              10. Yìng 應 and

              shì 適 refer to conformity construed as a matter of responding adequately to given facts.

              12. Cóng 從 and suí 隨 refer to conformity construed as a matter of following a lead.

              12. Tīng 聽 refers specifically to a superior acting in conformity with his inferior's suggestions.

            • OFFEND

              1. The current most general word for offending against what one is obliged to act in accordance with or going against a current is probably nì 逆 (ant. shùn 順 "follow and obey"), which refers to any action which goes against something.

              2. Fàn 犯 (ant. cǒng 從 "follow obediently") refers as a derogatory term to a deliberate and active breaking of a rule.

              3. Gān 干 and gān 奸 are rare words referring specifically to culpable breach of the law.

              4. Wéi 違 (ant. xún 循 "follow") and the rarer lí 離 as well as fēi 非 are neutral terms referring to a failure to comply with something.

              5. Fú 拂 refers to something grating against sensibilities or creating a conflict.

              6. Fáng 妨 adds to the failure of compliance the nuance of interference with what one fails to comply with.

              7. Kuī 虧 adds to the failure of compliance the nuance of inflicting harm or damage on what one fails to comply with.

              8. Shāng 傷, hài 害, and bài 敗 add to the failure of compliance the element of ruining what one has failed to comply with exactly by this failure of compliance; but hài 害 has developed a special related meaning of offending logically against something, i.e. being incompatible with it.

              Word relations
            • Ant: (OBEY)逆/OFFEND The current most general word for offending against what one is obliged to act in accordance with or going against a current is probably nì 逆 (ant. shùn 順 "follow and obey"), which refers to any action which goes against something.
            • Ant: (OBEY)違/OFFEND Wéi 違 (ant. xún 循 "follow") and the rarer lí 離 as well as fēi 非 are neutral terms referring to a failure to comply with something.
            • Object: (CONFORM)道/METHOD Dào 道 is a way of being, of functioning, as well as a way of doing things, and this Way may be either exoteric or esoteric.
            • Object: (OBEY)先典/LAW
            • Contrast: (CONFORM)循/CONFORM
            • Assoc: (CONFORM)合/CONFORM Zhōu 周 and hé 合 (all ant. fǎn 反 "go against the model") refer to complete all-round conformity construed as overall identification with a model.
            • Assoc: (CONFORM)和/HARMONY The general word for bringing something into a state where it is well in tune or keeping in tune with something is hé 和.
            • Assoc: (CONFORM)從/CONFORM Cóng 從 and suí 隨 refer to conformity construed as a matter of following a lead.
            • Assoc: (FLATTER)阿/FLATTER E! 阿is vulgar one-sided pandering to the tastes or ideas of superiors in words and also in action, and the word refers also to other forms of partiality and favouritism and is thus more general in application than the other words in the group.
            • Synon: (CONFORM)則/IMITATE Zé 則 refers to taking something abstract and authoritative as one's fixed obligatory guideline.
            • Synon: (CONFORM)從/CONFORM Cóng 從 and suí 隨 refer to conformity construed as a matter of following a lead.
            • Synon: (FOLLOW)循/FOLLOW Xún 循 is to follow certain guidelines or a certain prescribed path, as a matter of prudential strategy, and typically in a rather mechanical or habitual manner.