Chinese word

君子

Pronunciation

Pinyinjūn zǐ

Meaning

  • noungentleman

Example

大家都说他是个君子。dà jiā dōu shuō tā shì gè jūn zǐ

Everyone says he is a gentleman.

Illustration for 君子 (gentleman)

More examples

真正的君子以德行见长，言行一致。zhēn zhèng de jūn zǐ yǐ dé xíng jiàn cháng yán xíng yí zhì

A true gentleman stands out for his virtue, with words and actions that match.

Core concept

A model of honorable behavior, valued for integrity rather than social rank.

Common phrases

  • 君子之德jūn zǐ zhī dé

    a gentleman's virtue

  • 君子言行一致jūn zǐ yán xíng yí zhì

    a gentleman's words match his actions

Similar words

仁者rén zhě: A person who shows deep kindness and compassion toward others.
义士yì shì: A brave person who stands up for justice and acts against wrongdoing.
圣人shèng rén: A person of outstanding moral and intellectual excellence who serves as an ideal for others.

Definition in Chinese

有高尚品德、言行端正并受人尊敬的人。yǒu gāo shàng pǐn dé yán xíng duān zhèng bìng shòu rén zūn jìng de rén

Word origin

君 (jūn, "ruler") + 子 (zǐ, "honorific for a person") first evoked a ruler or noble person, then came to describe someone distinguished by virtue in Confucian thought.

Usage tips

  • The English word gentleman can suggest good manners or social status, but this Chinese word centers on moral character, so the two do not always match closely.

Other meanings

  • virtuous personnoun
  • worthy personnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word