<p>將 here is a little ambiguous.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>將以求吾所大欲也。</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><p>帶領 lead the army. I lead the army to seek for what I greatly desire.</p></li>
<li><p>欲；打算 intent to. I intent to seek for what I greatly desire.</p></li>
<li><p>取；拿 take. I take it to seek for what I greatly desire.</p></li>
<li><p>施行 do. I do it to seek for what I greatly desire.</p></li>
<li><p>就要；將要 will. I will seek for what I greatly desire.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I prefer the second meaning.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-02T13:52:38.337Z
2019-11-03T03:12:17.443Z
2019-11-03T03:12:17.443Z
shan
<p>i would interpret 將 in that sentence as &quot;in near future&quot; (即將).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>抑王興甲兵．危士臣．構怨於諸侯．然後快於心與</p>
<p>王曰．否．吾何快於是．將以求吾所大欲也</p>
</blockquote>
<p>mencius challenged 齊宣王, said &quot;<strong>or</strong> (抑), your majestic (王) increases (興) armours (甲) and soldier (兵), [puts] your officials (士臣) in risk (危), makes up (構) enmities (怨) amongst (於) dukes (諸侯). and then (然後) [you'll be] cheerful (快) in (於) [your] heart (心)?&quot;</p>
<p>his majestic (王) said (曰) &quot;no (否). how come (何) i (吾) [would be] cheerful (快) for (於) these (是)? in near future (將), [these policies are] for (以) seeking (求) my (吾) greatest desire (大欲)&quot;</p>
<p>your translation:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I do (those things) to seek what I greatly desire!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>quite good, as a shortcut :)</p>
<p>info added.</p>
<p>well, 齊宣王's greatest desire is in the following text:</p>
<p><a href="https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&amp;id=12913" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&amp;id=12913</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>. . . 欲辟土地．朝秦楚．莅中國而撫四夷也</p>
</blockquote>
<p>[your] desire (欲) [is]: open up (辟 --&gt; 開闢) [more] land (土地), [have representatives] in the court (朝 --&gt; 朝廷), from the nation of 秦 and 楚, administrated (莅 --&gt; 蒞) the china (中國), and (而) soothe (撫) all surrounding barbarians (四夷).</p>
<p>at that time (bc 319-301), 齊 is a small nation in 山東半島. then, &quot;中國&quot; is &quot;關中平原&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-29T02:28:21.737Z
What does he greatly desire?
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-29T03:15:50.257Z
@pedroski, info added :)
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-29T04:43:33.950Z
谢谢！我非常羡慕您的知识。很感谢！
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-29T02:17:20.743Z
2019-05-29T03:15:27.783Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>What meaning of 將 applies?</p>
<h2>Origin</h2>
<p>In 孟子there is a sentence where he describes various failings to the king (such as war preparations) and goes on to ask, whether his majesty delights in such. And then the king denies it and says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>將以求吾所大欲也</p>
</blockquote>
<p>將 has an incredibly long list of meanings. Is the meaning here 做、施行 (as in 草率將事)?</p>
<p>in other words, would the following be a straight forward translation?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I do (those things) to seek what I greatly desire!</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>The passage on <a href="https://ctext.org/pre-qin-and-han?searchu=How%20far" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ctext</a>:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Ijok1.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Ijok1.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

<grammar><classical-chinese><literary-chinese>
將以求吾所大欲也 meaning of 將
# 將以求吾所大欲也 meaning of 將

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-28)

What meaning of 將 applies?

## Origin

In 孟子there is a sentence where he describes various failings to the king (such as war preparations) and goes on to ask, whether his majesty delights in such. And then the king denies it and says:

> 將以求吾所大欲也

將 has an incredibly long list of meanings. Is the meaning here 做、施行 (as in 草率將事)?

in other words, would the following be a straight forward translation?

> I do (those things) to seek what I greatly desire!

---

The passage on [ctext](https://ctext.org/pre-qin-and-han?searchu=How%20far):
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Ijok1.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Ijok1.jpg)

**Tags:** grammar, classical-chinese, literary-chinese


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-05-29. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

i would interpret 將 in that sentence as "in near future" (即將).

> 抑王興甲兵．危士臣．構怨於諸侯．然後快於心與
>
> 王曰．否．吾何快於是．將以求吾所大欲也

mencius challenged 齊宣王, said "**or** (抑), your majestic (王) increases (興) armours (甲) and soldier (兵), [puts] your officials (士臣) in risk (危), makes up (構) enmities (怨) amongst (於) dukes (諸侯). and then (然後) [you'll be] cheerful (快) in (於) [your] heart (心)?"

his majestic (王) said (曰) "no (否). how come (何) i (吾) [would be] cheerful (快) for (於) these (是)? in near future (將), [these policies are] for (以) seeking (求) my (吾) greatest desire (大欲)"

your translation:

> I do (those things) to seek what I greatly desire!

quite good, as a shortcut :)

info added.

well, 齊宣王's greatest desire is in the following text:

<https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&id=12913>

> . . . 欲辟土地．朝秦楚．莅中國而撫四夷也

[your] desire (欲) [is]: open up (辟 --> 開闢) [more] land (土地), [have representatives] in the court (朝 --> 朝廷), from the nation of 秦 and 楚, administrated (莅 --> 蒞) the china (中國), and (而) soothe (撫) all surrounding barbarians (四夷).

at that time (bc 319-301), 齊 is a small nation in 山東半島. then, "中國" is "關中平原".

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: What does he greatly desire?  
> **username_2**: @username_3, info added :)  
> **username_3**: 谢谢！我非常羡慕您的知识。很感谢！  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-02. Score: 1

將 here is a little ambiguous.

> 將以求吾所大欲也。

* 帶領 lead the army. I lead the army to seek for what I greatly desire.
* 欲；打算 intent to. I intent to seek for what I greatly desire.
* 取；拿 take. I take it to seek for what I greatly desire.
* 施行 do. I do it to seek for what I greatly desire.
* 就要；將要 will. I will seek for what I greatly desire.

I prefer the second meaning.


---

