Analects 7.37 · Shu Er
“The exemplary person is broad-minded and at ease; the petty person is forever anxious.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
君子坦蕩蕩 小人長戚戚 (jūn zǐ tǎn dàng dàng, xiǎo rén cháng qī qī) means “The exemplary person is broad-minded and at ease; the petty person is forever anxious.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 37.
君子坦蕩蕩 小人長戚戚
- Pinyin
- jūn zǐ tǎn dàng dàng, xiǎo rén cháng qī qī
- Translation
- The exemplary person is broad-minded and at ease; the petty person is forever anxious.
- Source
- Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 37
What does this passage mean?
The first expression evokes a broad, level, and open heart; the second describes persistent worry and distress. In Shu Er, Confucius contrasts the inner conditions of the exemplary and petty person. The exemplary person lives by moral principle and is therefore at ease, while the petty person remains anxious from constantly calculating gain and loss. The passage contains a psychological insight: the state of the mind determines the quality of life.
How can we apply it today?
Amid modern anxiety and stress, this saying points to the source of peace. Comparison with others, calculation of advantage, and concern about reputation keep the heart unsettled. By contrast, people who live by their principles and act honestly can remain at peace even when the result is disappointing. Genuine happiness depends less on satisfying external conditions than on the condition of the mind.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Is your mind these days broad and at ease, or persistently worried?
- ·What makes you anxious?
- ·What might you need to release in order to find peace of mind?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 君 | jūn | ruler | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 子 | zǐ | son | 3 | 子 (child) |
| 坦 | tǎn | level | 8 | 土 (earth) |
| 蕩 | dàng | broad | 15 | 艸 (grass) |
| 蕩 | dàng | broad | 15 | 艸 (grass) |
| 小 | xiǎo | small | 3 | 小 (small) |
| 人 | rén | person | 2 | 人 (person) |
| 長 | cháng | always | 8 | 長 (long) |
| 戚 | qī | worry | 11 | 戈 (halberd) |
| 戚 | qī | worry | 11 | 戈 (halberd) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “The exemplary person is broad-minded and at…” mean?
君子坦蕩蕩 小人長戚戚 (jūn zǐ tǎn dàng dàng, xiǎo rén cháng qī qī) means “The exemplary person is broad-minded and at ease; the petty person is forever anxious.” It comes from the Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 37.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 7.37: Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 37.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Amid modern anxiety and stress, this saying points to the source of peace.Comparison with others, calculation of advantage, and concern about reputation keep the heart unsettled.