失禮

Chinese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

失禮

1. to lack manners; to be impolite; to breach etiquette

   • 君子曰：「失禮違命，宜其為禽也。戎，昭果毅以聽之，之謂禮。殺敵為果，致果為毅。易之，戮也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君子曰：「失礼违命，宜其为禽也。戎，昭果毅以听之，之谓礼。杀敌为果，致果为毅。易之，戮也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translation from Zuozhuan: Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals" (2017), by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li and David Schaberg

     Jūnzǐ yuē: “Shīlǐ wéimìng, yí qí wéiqín yě. Róng, zhāo guǒyì yǐ tīng zhī, zhī wèi lǐ. Shādí wéi guǒ, zhìguǒ wéi yì. Yì zhī, lù yě.” [Pinyin]

     The noble man said, “He deviated from ritual propriety and disobeyed commands. It is fitting that he became a captive. In martial affairs, to manifest decisiveness and determination in obeying commands is ritual propriety. To kill the enemy is decisiveness; to sustain decisiveness is determination. To change this is to incur punishment and execution.”

   • 臣當死，往者醉失禮，王隱忍不加誅也；臣終不敢以蔭蔽之德而不顯報王也，常願肝腦塗地，用頸血湔敵久矣，臣乃夜絕纓者。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     臣当死，往者醉失礼，王隐忍不加诛也；臣终不敢以荫蔽之德而不显报王也，常愿肝脑涂地，用颈血湔敌久矣，臣乃夜绝缨者。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 77 B.C.E., 劉向 (Liu Xiang), 《說苑》 (Garden of Stories), chapter 6

     Chén dāng sǐ, wǎngzhě zuì shīlǐ, wáng yǐnrěn bù jiā zhū yě; chén zhōng bùgǎn yǐ yīnbì zhī dé ér bùxiǎn bào wáng yě, cháng yuàn gānnǎotúdì, yòng jǐng xuè jiān dí jiǔ yǐ, chén nǎi yè juéyīng zhě. [Pinyin]

     I should have been put to death. In the past, I got drunk and forgot my manners. Your Majesty showed restraint and did not put me to death. I would never dare not overtly repay Your Majesty's covert kindness. I would rather put my life on the line and drown the enemy in my own blood, for I am the one whose headpiece cord was yanked off on that night.

• 沒禮貌／没礼貌
• 無禮／无礼 (wúlǐ)
• (Cantonese) 冇禮貌／冇礼貌
• (Hokkien) 無紀綱／无纪纲, 無紀無綱／无纪无纲

失禮

1. (chiefly Hokkien, Taiwanese Hakka) I'm sorry; excuse me

• “Entry #1836”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

失禮 • (sillye) (hangeul 실례)

1. hanja form^? of 실례 (“discourtesy, bad manners”)

失禮

1. chữ Hán form of thất lễ (“impolite”).