名正言顺
- Literal
- name correct, words flowing
- Figurative
- To have the proper title, position or justification behind what you do, so you can act openly and nobody has grounds to object.
Where does 名正言顺 come from?
It comes from the Analects of Confucius, chapter "Zilu." His disciple Zilu asked what he would do first if the ruler of Wei entrusted him with the government, and Confucius answered that he would begin by rectifying names. Zilu found this impractical, and the master rebuked him and explained: if names are not correct, words do not flow; if words do not flow, affairs do not succeed, and in the end the people do not know where to put their hands and feet. The idiom grew out of that passage, and today it means having the legitimacy or position that backs what you do.
Source (出处): 《论语·子路》
How is 名正言顺 used? Two examples
- 房子过户到我名下以后，我才名正言顺地开始装修。
Only once the house was transferred into my name did I start renovating it, fully within my rights.
- 等正式任命下来，你就能名正言顺地管这个项目了。
Once the official appointment comes through, you'll have every right to run this project.
In Wanyu, all 400 chengyu have audio on every sentence, and you can save them to your decks and review them with spaced repetition. Free.
