Analects 14.33 · Xian Wen
“A fine horse is praised not for its strength, but for its character.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
驥不稱其力 稱其德也 (jì bù chēng qí lì, chēng qí dé yě) means “A fine horse is praised not for its strength, but for its character.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 33.
驥不稱其力 稱其德也
- Pinyin
- jì bù chēng qí lì, chēng qí dé yě
- Translation
- A fine horse is praised not for its strength, but for its character.
- Source
- Analects, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 33
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Xian Wen chapter, 驥 is a legendary horse able to cover a thousand li in a day. In praising such a horse, one praises not the strength of its swift legs but its virtue. Here virtue refers to the horse's trained disposition, its responsiveness to the rider, and its harmonious temperament. Through this image, Confucius emphasizes that when judging people too, we should value character above ability.
How can we apply it today?
Modern society gives highest priority to ability and performance: educational background, credentials, results. Through the image of the thousand-li horse, however, Confucius says that what truly matters is character, not ability. No matter how talented, someone who cannot cooperate, remain humble, or live in harmony with an organization will not endure. Over the long term, a person of good character creates greater value than a person of ability alone.
Questions to reflect on
- ·When others evaluate me, do my ability or my character stand out more?
- ·When I judge people around me, do I focus only on performance?
- ·What can I identify as my own virtue?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 驥 | jì | fine steed | 26 | 馬 (horse) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 稱 | chēng | call | 14 | 禾 (grain) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 力 | lì | strength | 2 | 力 (power) |
| 稱 | chēng | call | 14 | 禾 (grain) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 德 | dé | virtue | 15 | 彳 (step) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “A fine horse is praised not for its…” mean?
驥不稱其力 稱其德也 (jì bù chēng qí lì, chēng qí dé yě) means “A fine horse is praised not for its strength, but for its character.” It comes from the Analects, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 33.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 14.33: Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 33.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Modern society gives highest priority to ability and performance: educational background, credentials, results.