不在其位,不謀其政

Chinese

to be not at; to be out; to be dead
to be not at; to be out; to be dead; to have passed away
 
his; her; its
his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to something preceding it)
 
position; location; (measure word for persons)
position; location; (measure word for persons); place; seat
 
not; no to plan; seek; scheme
his; her; its
his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to something preceding it)
 
political; politics; government
trad. (不在其位,不謀其政) 不在
simp. (不在其位,不谋其政) 不在

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 8 (《論語·泰伯》):

子曰:「不在其位,不謀其政。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
子曰:「不在其位,不谋其政。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyuē: “Bùzài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng.” [Pinyin]
The Master said, "He who is not in any particular office has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties."

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): bù zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng
    (Zhuyin): ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄨㄟˋ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄡˊ ㄑㄧˊ ㄓㄥˋ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): bat1 zoi6 kei4 wai6, bat1 mau4 kei4 zing3

  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: bù zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng [Phonetic: zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng]
      • Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄨㄟˋ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄡˊ ㄑㄧˊ ㄓㄥˋ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: bù zài cí wèi, bù móu cí jhèng
      • Wade–Giles: pu4 tsai4 chʻi2 wei4, pu4 mou2 chʻi2 chêng4
      • Yale: bù dzài chí wèi-, bù móu chí jèng
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bu tzay chyi wey, bu mou chyi jenq
      • Palladius: бу цзай ци вэй, бу моу ци чжэн (bu czaj ci vɛj, bu mou ci čžɛn)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ moʊ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹/
  • Cantonese

Proverb

不在其位,不謀其政

  1. If you do not hold the post, do not meddle in the affairs of that post.