<p>for classical chinese, most "吾" means "i", occasionally, it means "my", or "mine".</p>

<p>"我" means "i", "me" or "my"; depends on the verse.</p>

<p>here're some usages from analects (論語):</p>

<h2>吾</h2>

<p>論語　學而</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>曾子曰．吾日三省吾身</p>
</blockquote>

<p>the first 吾 means "i", the second 吾 means "my"</p>

<p>daily (日), i (吾) reflect upon (省) my (吾)-self (身) three times (三)</p>

<p>論語　述而</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>冉有曰．夫子為衛君乎．子貢曰．諾．吾將問之</p>
</blockquote>

<p>this 吾 means "i"</p>

<p>ok (諾), i (吾) will (將) ask (問) about it (之)</p>

<p>論語　先進</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>季氏富於周公．而求也為之聚斂而附益之．子曰．非吾徒也</p>
</blockquote>

<p>吾 means "my", or "mine", depends on the english style.</p>

<p>the Master (子) said (曰): "[he's] not (非) my (吾) disciple (徒)</p>

<p>or,</p>

<p>the Master (子) said (曰): "[he's] not (非) [a] disciple (徒) of mine (吾)</p>

<h2>我</h2>

<p>論語　述而</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>子曰．我非生而知之者</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"我" means "i"</p>

<p>the Master (子) said (曰), "i (我) [am] not (非) one (者) who was born (生) in the possession of knowledge (而知之)</p>

<p>論語　先進   </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>子曰．從我於陳．蔡者．皆不及門也</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"我" means "me"</p>

<p>the Master (子) said (曰): "Of those (者) who were with (從) me (我) in (於) Chen (陳) and Cai (蔡)</p>

<p>論語　述而   </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>子曰．三人行．必有我師焉</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"我" means "my"</p>

<p>the Master (子) said (曰): "When I walk along with two others (三人行), they may serve me as my (我) teachers (師)</p>

<p>so, back to your question "what is the difference between 吾 and 我 in 文言文？"</p>

<p>i would say, they're interchangeable.</p>

<p>about "我善養吾浩然之氣"; well, no idea about using both "我" &amp; "吾" in the same verse.</p>

<p>have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T02:48:14.797Z
2018-11-24T02:48:14.797Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>The first thing to point out is that「吾」(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)" rel="noreferrer">Baxter-Sagart</a>: <strong>/*ŋˤa/</strong>) and「我」(Baxter-Sagart: <strong>/*ŋˤajʔ/</strong>) are cognate. They mean exactly the same thing, and were interchangeable to a very large degree; as the comment pointed out, the use of one over the other is due to either personal preference, emulation of ancient texts, or to avoid repetition.</p>

<p>Specifically in the pre-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty" rel="noreferrer">Qin</a> era, there was some difference in their usage that eventually disappeared by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Chinese" rel="noreferrer">Middle Chinese</a>.「吾」could not be used in the pre-Qin era as an object after a verb. Quote from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)" rel="noreferrer"><em>Zhuangzi</em></a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>《莊子・齊物論》子綦曰：「偃，不亦善乎而問之也！<strong>今者吾喪我</strong>，汝知之乎？」</p>
  
  <p>子綦 said: "偃, it is very good that you asked this question! <strong>I had just lost myself now</strong>, but how should you know the answer?"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>「吾喪我」could not be written as「我喪吾」in this era.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T16:34:52.727Z
Just to inquire on 「不亦善乎而問之也」: what is 而 used here as? Is it an equivalent to 你？
Andrew Wang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T22:34:35.877Z
@AndrewWang 而 is a conjunction, more commonly translated as *and*, and in my translation should be seen as the word *that*. It is the same kind of *and* as *I was thirsty and drank water*; the second clause not only comes after the first in temporal sequence, but also may be a consequence of the first clause.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T03:08:24.257Z
2018-11-24T22:41:35.697Z
2018-11-24T22:41:35.697Z
dROOOze
<p>For instance, in the phrase 「我善养吾浩然之气」</p>

<p>I notice both 我 and 吾 are used. Is there a reason for this? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T01:00:36.113Z
要看具体的历史时期。先秦时候真正常用的代词很丰富（后来的人用吾/余/予等都是仿古），似乎有说法是吾和我同时用的时候格是不同的。比如此处，我为主语（主格）吾为定语（所有格），一般来说吾做主语，我做宾语；但也有说法是，吾和我中我字的发音更重，因而处于强调地位的第一人称用我字，这也是我一般做宾语的原因。此后，这些人称代词用得就比较随意了，有的时候仅仅是作者习惯，或者避免一句话有重复才换用代词的吧。|･ω･｀)
Toosky Hierot
<meaning><classical-chinese>
What is the difference between 吾 and 我 in 文言文？
# What is the difference between 吾 and 我 in 文言文？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-23)

For instance, in the phrase 「我善养吾浩然之气」

I notice both 我 and 吾 are used. Is there a reason for this?

**Tags:** meaning, classical-chinese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 要看具体的历史时期。先秦时候真正常用的代词很丰富（后来的人用吾/余/予等都是仿古），似乎有说法是吾和我同时用的时候格是不同的。比如此处，我为主语（主格）吾为定语（所有格），一般来说吾做主语，我做宾语；但也有说法是，吾和我中我字的发音更重，因而处于强调地位的第一人称用我字，这也是我一般做宾语的原因。此后，这些人称代词用得就比较随意了，有的时候仅仅是作者习惯，或者避免一句话有重复才换用代词的吧。|･ω･｀)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-11-24. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

The first thing to point out is that「吾」([Baxter-Sagart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)): **/\*ŋˤa/**) and「我」(Baxter-Sagart: **/\*ŋˤajʔ/**) are cognate. They mean exactly the same thing, and were interchangeable to a very large degree; as the comment pointed out, the use of one over the other is due to either personal preference, emulation of ancient texts, or to avoid repetition.

Specifically in the pre-[Qin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty) era, there was some difference in their usage that eventually disappeared by [Middle Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Chinese).「吾」could not be used in the pre-Qin era as an object after a verb. Quote from [*Zhuangzi*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)):

> 《莊子・齊物論》子綦曰：「偃，不亦善乎而問之也！**今者吾喪我**，汝知之乎？」
>
> 子綦 said: "偃, it is very good that you asked this question! **I had just lost myself now**, but how should you know the answer?"

「吾喪我」could not be written as「我喪吾」in this era.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Just to inquire on 「不亦善乎而問之也」: what is 而 used here as? Is it an equivalent to 你？  
> **username_3**: @AndrewWang 而 is a conjunction, more commonly translated as *and*, and in my translation should be seen as the word *that*. It is the same kind of *and* as *I was thirsty and drank water*; the second clause not only comes after the first in temporal sequence, but also may be a consequence of the first clause.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-11-24. Score: 3

for classical chinese, most "吾" means "i", occasionally, it means "my", or "mine".

"我" means "i", "me" or "my"; depends on the verse.

here're some usages from analects (論語):

## 吾

論語　學而

> 曾子曰．吾日三省吾身

the first 吾 means "i", the second 吾 means "my"

daily (日), i (吾) reflect upon (省) my (吾)-self (身) three times (三)

論語　述而

> 冉有曰．夫子為衛君乎．子貢曰．諾．吾將問之

this 吾 means "i"

ok (諾), i (吾) will (將) ask (問) about it (之)

論語　先進

> 季氏富於周公．而求也為之聚斂而附益之．子曰．非吾徒也

吾 means "my", or "mine", depends on the english style.

the Master (子) said (曰): "[he's] not (非) my (吾) disciple (徒)

or,

the Master (子) said (曰): "[he's] not (非) [a] disciple (徒) of mine (吾)

## 我

論語　述而

> 子曰．我非生而知之者

"我" means "i"

the Master (子) said (曰), "i (我) [am] not (非) one (者) who was born (生) in the possession of knowledge (而知之)

論語　先進

> 子曰．從我於陳．蔡者．皆不及門也

"我" means "me"

the Master (子) said (曰): "Of those (者) who were with (從) me (我) in (於) Chen (陳) and Cai (蔡)

論語　述而

> 子曰．三人行．必有我師焉

"我" means "my"

the Master (子) said (曰): "When I walk along with two others (三人行), they may serve me as my (我) teachers (師)

so, back to your question "what is the difference between 吾 and 我 in 文言文？"

i would say, they're interchangeable.

about "我善養吾浩然之氣"; well, no idea about using both "我" & "吾" in the same verse.

have fun :)


---

