<p>言 means words, what you say
颜 means face originally, and here it refers to emotional expression on your face</p>

<p>both are reasonable
察言观色 means be aware of what you say, and your emotional expression on your face
察颜观色 means be aware of your emotional expression on your face</p>

<p>颜 and 色 here both means emotional expression on your face. 察颜观色 is a repeating of the same thing, also a Chinese rhetoric of 互文 (describe repeatedly)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-16T05:31:40.453Z
2015-11-16T05:31:40.453Z
gcd0318
<p>I have found citations from ancient texts backing both interpretations on the Internet while searching for the correct form of the term:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>清·唐甄《潜书·食难》：“吾老矣，岂能复俯首于他人之宇下，<strong>察颜观色</strong>，以求无拂于人，吾不能也。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>《论语·颜渊》：“夫达也者，质直而好义，<strong>察言而观色</strong>，虑以下人。” </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Which of these is/are correct?</p>

<chengyu>
Is 察颜观色 or 察言观色 the correct term to use?
# Is 察颜观色 or 察言观色 the correct term to use?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-12)

I have found citations from ancient texts backing both interpretations on the Internet while searching for the correct form of the term:

> 清·唐甄《潜书·食难》：“吾老矣，岂能复俯首于他人之宇下，**察颜观色**，以求无拂于人，吾不能也。

However,

> 《论语·颜渊》：“夫达也者，质直而好义，**察言而观色**，虑以下人。”

Which of these is/are correct?

**Tags:** chengyu


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-11-16. Score: 0

言 means words, what you say
颜 means face originally, and here it refers to emotional expression on your face

both are reasonable
察言观色 means be aware of what you say, and your emotional expression on your face
察颜观色 means be aware of your emotional expression on your face

颜 and 色 here both means emotional expression on your face. 察颜观色 is a repeating of the same thing, also a Chinese rhetoric of 互文 (describe repeatedly)


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