pháp bất gía ư quân tử, lễ bất chấp ư tiểu nhơn
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Law doesn't add to the gentleman, nor ritual bind the boor — rules assume the one and despair of the other.
Literally: law adds nothing to the gentleman; rites don't seize the petty man
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “pháp bất gía ư quân tử, lễ bất chấp ư tiểu nhơn” mean?
Law doesn't add to the gentleman, nor ritual bind the boor — rules assume the one and despair of the other. Literally: law adds nothing to the gentleman; rites don't seize the petty man
Is “pháp bất gía ư quân tử, lễ bất chấp ư tiểu nhơn” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.