Analects 19.21 · Zi Zhang
“The faults of an exemplary person are like eclipses of the sun and moon: everyone sees them.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
君子之過也 如日月之食焉 (jūn zǐ zhī guò yě, rú rì yuè zhī shí yān) means “The faults of an exemplary person are like eclipses of the sun and moon: everyone sees them.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 21.
君子之過也 如日月之食焉
- Pinyin
- jūn zǐ zhī guò yě, rú rì yuè zhī shí yān
- Translation
- The faults of an exemplary person are like eclipses of the sun and moon: everyone sees them.
- Source
- Analects, Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 21
What does this passage mean?
This passage from Zi Zhang was also spoken by Zigong. An exemplary person’s faults resemble eclipses of the sun and moon: everyone can see them, but when they are corrected, everyone looks up again. Such a person is transparent because there is no attempt to hide and worthy of respect because correction is possible. Petty people conceal mistakes; exemplary people expose and repair them.
How can we apply it today?
The harder we try to hide a mistake, the larger the eventual problem becomes. Corporate cover-ups, political lies, and personal excuses all deepen the shock when the truth appears. A person or organization that acknowledges and corrects an error promptly may instead gain trust. Nobody is perfect. What matters is not never erring, but being able to admit an error and put it right.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Why is admitting a mistake difficult for you?
- ·When has hiding an error made it worse?
- ·Have you ever respected someone more for acknowledging a fault honestly?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 君 | jūn | ruler | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 子 | zǐ | son | 3 | 子 (child) |
| 之 | zhī | possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 過 | guò | fault | 13 | 辵 (walk) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 如 | rú | same; like | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 日 | rì | sun | 4 | 日 (sun) |
| 月 | yuè | moon | 4 | 月 (moon) |
| 之 | zhī | possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 食 | shí | eat; food | 9 | 食 (eat) |
| 焉 | yān | grammatical particle | 11 | 火 (fire) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “The faults of an exemplary person are like…” mean?
君子之過也 如日月之食焉 (jūn zǐ zhī guò yě, rú rì yuè zhī shí yān) means “The faults of an exemplary person are like eclipses of the sun and moon: everyone sees them.” It comes from the Analects, Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 21.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 19.21: Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 21.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
The harder we try to hide a mistake, the larger the eventual problem becomes.Corporate cover-ups, political lies, and personal excuses all deepen the shock when the truth appears.