<p>The &quot;非 X 不能 Y&quot; structure is what we call &quot;two negatives produce a positive&quot;. It's an emphatic way to say &quot;only X can Y&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-19T02:02:59.780Z
2021-10-19T02:02:59.780Z
Betty
<p>The sentence seems the author agrees with, and prises 孟子 for his insightful description or explanation of something, which can only be made by 孟子 because of his deep training and understanding on the matter. So, I would think the sentence says:</p>
<p>若非(if not because of)孟子's造道之深(deep training and thorough understanding of this matter),不能(it can not)形容(be described)至此也(to such an extent).</p>
<p>The format of this sentence is: &quot;若不是(非)..., 就不能...&quot;, which contrast the sentence below:</p>
<p>非你我之力能及也 = 不是(非)你我的能力能達到(及)的.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-18T21:27:18.617Z
2021-10-19T02:55:46.293Z
2021-10-19T02:55:46.293Z
r13
<p>1.[<strong>非</strong>] XXX,[<strong>不能</strong>] YYY = [<strong>not</strong> having] XXX, [<strong>cannot</strong>] YYY</p>
<p><em>&quot;非 XXX 不能&quot; is a relative clause; &quot;YYY&quot; is a verb clause</em></p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>[<strong>非</strong>]孟子造道之深,[<strong>不能</strong>]形容至此也= [<strong>Not</strong> having] 孟子造道之深,[<strong>cannot</strong>]形容至此也</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-18T20:12:44.953Z
2021-10-18T20:12:44.953Z
Tang Ho
<p>I have a problem with the following sentence in Zhu Xi's commentary to Mencius:</p>
<p>非孟子造道之深,不能形容至此也</p>
<p>How one should translate 非 at the beginning of this passage?</p>
<p>From what I understand it is something like &quot;except Mencius who reached the depths of the dao, no one could describe arriving at this  [situation]. (Namely the situation  Shun found himself in passage 7A16 - to which the sentence refers)</p>

<classical-chinese>
非 at the beginning of a sentence - Classical Chinese
# 非 at the beginning of a sentence - Classical Chinese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-10-18)

I have a problem with the following sentence in Zhu Xi's commentary to Mencius:

非孟子造道之深,不能形容至此也

How one should translate 非 at the beginning of this passage?

From what I understand it is something like "except Mencius who reached the depths of the dao, no one could describe arriving at this [situation]. (Namely the situation Shun found himself in passage 7A16 - to which the sentence refers)

**Tags:** classical-chinese


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-10-18. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

1.[**非**] XXX,[**不能**] YYY = [**not** having] XXX, [**cannot**] YYY

*"非 XXX 不能" is a relative clause; "YYY" is a verb clause*

Example:

[**非**]孟子造道之深,[**不能**]形容至此也= [**Not** having] 孟子造道之深,[**cannot**]形容至此也


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### Answer by username_1 on 2021-10-19. Score: 3

The "非 X 不能 Y" structure is what we call "two negatives produce a positive". It's an emphatic way to say "only X can Y".


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-10-18. Score: 0

The sentence seems the author agrees with, and prises 孟子 for his insightful description or explanation of something, which can only be made by 孟子 because of his deep training and understanding on the matter. So, I would think the sentence says:

若非(if not because of)孟子's造道之深(deep training and thorough understanding of this matter),不能(it can not)形容(be described)至此也(to such an extent).

The format of this sentence is: "若不是(非)..., 就不能...", which contrast the sentence below:

非你我之力能及也 = 不是(非)你我的能力能達到(及)的.


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