Analects 1.6 · Xue Er
“At home, be devoted to your parents; abroad, be respectful to your elders. Be careful and trustworthy, care broadly for everyone, and draw close to the humane.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
弟子入則孝 出則弟 謹而信 汎愛衆 而親仁 (dì zǐ rù zé xiào, chū zé tì, jǐn ér xìn, fàn ài zhòng, ér qīn rén) means “At home, be devoted to your parents; abroad, be respectful to your elders. Be careful and trustworthy, care broadly for everyone, and draw close to the humane.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 6.
弟子入則孝 出則弟 謹而信 汎愛衆 而親仁
- Pinyin
- dì zǐ rù zé xiào, chū zé tì, jǐn ér xìn, fàn ài zhòng, ér qīn rén
- Translation
- At home, be devoted to your parents; abroad, be respectful to your elders. Be careful and trustworthy, care broadly for everyone, and draw close to the humane.
- Source
- Analects, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 6
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Xue Er chapter, Confucius presents the basic virtues expected of his students. The word 弟子 refers broadly to young people. 入則孝 means that at home one should show filial devotion to one's parents, while 出則弟 means that outside the home one should respect one's elders. 汎愛衆 expresses a broad and universal love, showing that the Confucian ideal of humaneness is not partial affection for a chosen few but concern for everyone. Confucius regarded these five virtues as the human foundation that must be established before academic learning.
How can we apply it today?
This passage is an early model of character education. In modern society, no matter how capable someone may be, it is difficult to work with that person if they lack basic courtesy in human relationships. Filial devotion at home can be understood today as communicating with one's parents and expressing gratitude, while deference outside the home can mean mutual respect between senior and junior colleagues. In particular, the advice to 'love people broadly, but draw close to those who are humane' is practical counsel: remain open to everyone while deliberately nurturing relationships that help you grow.
Questions to reflect on
- ·How consistent is the person I am at home with the person I am in society?
- ·While caring broadly for the people around me, am I intentionally cultivating relationships that help me grow?
- ·Which should come first, character or ability?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 弟 | dì | younger brother | 7 | 弓 (bow) |
| 子 | zǐ | son | 3 | 子 (child) |
| 入 | rù | enter | 2 | 入 (enter) |
| 則 | zé | then; immediately | 9 | 刀 (knife) |
| 孝 | xiào | filial devotion | 7 | 子 (child) |
| 出 | chū | emerge | 5 | 凵 (open box) |
| 則 | zé | then; immediately | 9 | 刀 (knife) |
| 弟 | tì | courteous | 7 | 弓 (bow) |
| 謹 | jǐn | be cautious | 18 | 言 (speech) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 信 | xìn | trust | 9 | 人 (person) |
| 汎 | fàn | broad | 6 | 水 (water) |
| 愛 | ài | love | 13 | 心 (heart) |
| 衆 | zhòng | multitude | 12 | 血 (blood) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 親 | qīn | close | 16 | 見 (see) |
| 仁 | rén | benevolent | 4 | 人 (person) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “At home, be devoted to your parents…” mean?
弟子入則孝 出則弟 謹而信 汎愛衆 而親仁 (dì zǐ rù zé xiào, chū zé tì, jǐn ér xìn, fàn ài zhòng, ér qīn rén) means “At home, be devoted to your parents; abroad, be respectful to your elders. Be careful and trustworthy, care broadly for everyone, and draw close to the humane.” It comes from the Analects, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 6.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 1.6: Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 6.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
This passage is an early model of character education.