<p>imo, the interpretation of ctext.org is quite good, in vernacular chinese</p>
<blockquote>
<p>子曰：「德之不脩，學之不講，聞義不能徙，不善不能改，是吾憂也。」</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>孔子說：「對品德不進行培養，對學問不進行鑽研，聽到好人好事不能跟著做，有了錯誤不能及時改正，這就是我所擔憂的。」</p>
</blockquote>
<p>maybe, read it as:</p>
<p>confucius said (子曰) “not cultivating virtue (德之不脩)”, not paying attention to knowledge (學之不講), knowing righteousnesses [but] not adjust [towards] (聞義不能徙), [any] ungood-nesses, unable to rectify (不善不能改), [these] are my worries (是吾憂也)</p>
<p>that, assumed one’s nature is good, one can learn &amp; internalise righteousnesses. in later era’s proverb, which would be “性本善”, “近朱者赤・近墨者黑”, and “居移氣・養移體”</p>
<p>or, think it in another way:</p>
<p>in each society, some norms, beliefs are treated as righteousness, that, members are expected to know, and to follow. so, if anyone who learns / knows (聞) these good social norms (義) but fail to follow (不能徙); it’s a problem.</p>
<p>for example, “traffic light”, the rule is “red means stop, green means go”.</p>
<p>babies understand such rule? no.</p>
<p>toddlers? maybe, they learn the rule (聞義) from parents ‘ teachers.</p>
<p>that if anyone (toddlers, youths, even adults) after learning the rule of traffic light, but fail to follow it (不能徙); it’s a significant worrisome.</p>
<p><a href="https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&amp;id=1254#s10020725" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&amp;id=1254#s10020725</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-26T21:29:23.797Z
Thanks for the great explanation! 聞義不能徙 = 聽到好人好事不能跟著做 5 characters becomes 11 characters! Were those old Chinese trying to save ink? Why does this old language have such a level of compression of meaning? That increases the possibility of misunderstanding.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-26T03:21:52.910Z
2023-06-26T03:21:52.910Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>I think the question is about the word &quot;徙&quot;. Here is one definition from 汉典:</p>
<p><strong>徙</strong> - 改变，变化 [change]</p>
<p>如: 徙意(改变意念); 徙义(见义即改变意念而从之)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-26T21:34:04.467Z
I was thinking maybe 徙 means 改变 It's an old question: when someone knows what is right, why don't they do that?
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-26T23:52:17.237Z
@Pedroski Here is the reference, see uses (4). https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%BE%99
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-26T15:26:07.993Z
2023-06-26T16:20:42.197Z
2023-06-26T16:20:42.197Z
r13
<p>I read this excerpt, but I can't understand the meaning in 闻义不能徙.</p>
<p>In fact it's all a bit hazy, could some kind person give me a breakdown or a modern Chinese interpretation?</p>
<p>德之不修，学之不讲，闻义不能徙，不善不能改，是吾忧也。《论语·述而》</p>
<p>Maybe 闻义不能徙 is &quot;I can't get close to the virtuousness I hear of&quot;??</p>
<p>I think this is the breakdown of the phrase:</p>
<p>闻: hear<br />
义: righteousness, virtue<br />
不能 : can't<br />
徙: approach (or change)??</p>

<meaning-in-context>
What is the meaning of 闻义不能徙?
# What is the meaning of 闻义不能徙?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-26)

I read this excerpt, but I can't understand the meaning in 闻义不能徙.

In fact it's all a bit hazy, could some kind person give me a breakdown or a modern Chinese interpretation?

德之不修，学之不讲，闻义不能徙，不善不能改，是吾忧也。《论语·述而》

Maybe 闻义不能徙 is "I can't get close to the virtuousness I hear of"??

I think this is the breakdown of the phrase:

闻: hear  
义: righteousness, virtue  
不能 : can't  
徙: approach (or change)??

**Tags:** meaning-in-context


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-06-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

imo, the interpretation of ctext.org is quite good, in vernacular chinese

> 子曰：「德之不脩，學之不講，聞義不能徙，不善不能改，是吾憂也。」

> 孔子說：「對品德不進行培養，對學問不進行鑽研，聽到好人好事不能跟著做，有了錯誤不能及時改正，這就是我所擔憂的。」

maybe, read it as:

confucius said (子曰) “not cultivating virtue (德之不脩)”, not paying attention to knowledge (學之不講), knowing righteousnesses [but] not adjust [towards] (聞義不能徙), [any] ungood-nesses, unable to rectify (不善不能改), [these] are my worries (是吾憂也)

that, assumed one’s nature is good, one can learn & internalise righteousnesses. in later era’s proverb, which would be “性本善”, “近朱者赤・近墨者黑”, and “居移氣・養移體”

or, think it in another way:

in each society, some norms, beliefs are treated as righteousness, that, members are expected to know, and to follow. so, if anyone who learns / knows (聞) these good social norms (義) but fail to follow (不能徙); it’s a problem.

for example, “traffic light”, the rule is “red means stop, green means go”.

babies understand such rule? no.

toddlers? maybe, they learn the rule (聞義) from parents ‘ teachers.

that if anyone (toddlers, youths, even adults) after learning the rule of traffic light, but fail to follow it (不能徙); it’s a significant worrisome.

<https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&id=1254#s10020725>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the great explanation! 聞義不能徙 = 聽到好人好事不能跟著做 5 characters becomes 11 characters! Were those old Chinese trying to save ink? Why does this old language have such a level of compression of meaning? That increases the possibility of misunderstanding.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-06-26. Score: 2

I think the question is about the word "徙". Here is one definition from 汉典:

**徙** - 改变，变化 [change]

如: 徙意(改变意念); 徙义(见义即改变意念而从之)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I was thinking maybe 徙 means 改变 It's an old question: when someone knows what is right, why don't they do that?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 Here is the reference, see uses (4). https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%BE%99  

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