言不及私 — “To keep one's speech focused on public or professional matters”
言不及私 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to keep one's speech focused on public or professional matters”. Avoiding personal topics, often implying dedication to duty and impartiality. Literally, “Speech not involving private matters”.
言不及私 Pronunciation and Pinyin
言不及私 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 言不及私
Origin and Story of 言不及私
In 371 AD, the minister Wang Tanzhi vigorously advised Emperor Jianwen not to abdicate his throne to Grand Marshal Huan Wen.
After Emperor Jianwen's demise, Huan Wen assisted the young emperor in ascending the throne.
Following Huan Wen's death, Wang Tanzhi and Xie An jointly supported the young emperor.
Wang Tanzhi repeatedly submitted memorials, urging the young emperor to 'revere the elders, cherish relatives, and trust worthy ministers.' As for himself, he '言不及私' (did not speak of personal matters), his sole concern being the welfare of the nation and its people.
Idioms Related to 言不及私
Synonyms of 言不及私
Antonyms of 言不及私
More idioms starting with 言
- yán言sān三yǔ语sì四chatter away
- yán言bù不èr二jià价fixed price, no bargaining
- yán言bù不jí及yì义talk about trivial matters
- yán言bù不jí及xíng行all talk and no action
- yán言bù不jìn尽yì意Words cannot fully express meaning
- yán言bù不yuàn愿xíng行words and actions do not match
- yán言bù不yóu由zhōng中speak insincerely
- yán言bù不yóu由zhōng衷speak insincerely
- yán言bù不guǐ诡suí随speak without deceit or opportunism
- yán言bù不ān谙diǎn典speak without classical allusions
- yán言bù不jiàn践xíng行fail to act on one's words
- yán言bù不dá达yì意words fail to convey meaning
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Open the tool →Questions about 言不及私
What does 言不及私 mean?
言不及私 (yán bù jí sī) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to keep one's speech focused on public or professional matters”.
How do you pronounce 言不及私?
言不及私 is pronounced yán bù jí sī in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 言不及私 literally mean?
Literally, 言不及私 means “Speech not involving private matters”. It is used to mean “to keep one's speech focused on public or professional matters”.
Where does 言不及私 come from?
言不及私 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 言不及私?
言谈之中不涉及个人私事。比喻为官忠心，一心为国