無信不立

See also: 无信不立

Chinese

not have
 
letter; true; to believe; sign; evidence
not; no set up; to stand
trad. (無信不立)
simp. (无信不立)

Etymology

From the Analects:

子貢」。:「足食足兵。」子貢:「不得已?」:「。」子貢:「不得已?」:「自古無信不立。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
子贡”。:“足食足兵。”子贡:“不得已?”:“。”子贡:“不得已?”:“自古无信不立。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, circa 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐgòng wèn “zhèng”. Zǐ yuē: “Zúshí, zúbīng, mín xìn zhī yǐ.” Zǐgòng yuē: “Bì bùdéyǐ ér qù, yú sī sān zhě hé xiān?” Yuē: “Qù bīng.” Zǐgòng yuē: “Bì bùdéyǐ ér qù, yú sī èr zhě hé xiān?” Yuē: “Qù shí. Zìgǔ jiē yǒu sǐ, mín wúxìnbùlì.” [Pinyin]
Zigong asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler." Zigong said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master. Zigong again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state."

Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

自古無信不立 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
自古无信不立 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14th century CE
zìgǔ jiē yǒu sǐ, rén wúxìnbùlì [Pinyin]
From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if people have no faith in a person, there is no standing for that person.

Pronunciation


Proverb

無信不立

  1. If people have no faith in a person, there is no standing for that person.
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