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| Revisiting the Classics: Focusing on Terms That Appear Ordinary but Carry Distinct Meanings—A Case Study of Wujian and Bujian |
| Wang Yunlu |
| Research Institute for Ancient Books / Research Center for History of Chinese Language, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China |
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Abstract Firstly, Zhang Xiang once argued that cases involving “phrases that appear obscure or ambiguous in meaning” as well as those involving “ordinary wording that conveys a unique sense” all merit scholarly investigation. This is a highly insightful perspective. Consider two passages from the Analects: “Yu—I admire (无间) him” and “How filial is Min Ziqian! He always obeys (不间) the words of his parents and brothers”. Neither passage contains obscure characters or complex grammatical structures, yet both have been the subject of endless scholarly debate; the crux of the matter lies precisely in the fact that they employ “ordinary wording to convey a unique sense”.Two examples from the Analects where the literal wording appears ordinary yet the meaning are distinct as follows: (1) Both the phrases bujian (不间) and wujian (无间) function as negative constructions; in many contexts, they cannot be parsed by analyzing their individual morphemes but must be understood as a unified whole—much like constructions such as wucha (无差) or buya (不亚). (2) In the phrase “ren (人) obeys what his parents and brothers say about him”, the word ren does not refer to “others” or “outsiders” in the general sense; rather, it refers to “that person”—specifically, Min Ziqian himself. Interpreting ren as “that person” is another example of ordinary wording conveying a unique sense. (3) As canonical expressions from the Analects, these phrases have come to function as literary allusions; consequently, they should be categorized as allusions and certainly should not be parsed or explained by breaking down their individual components.Secondly, using spatial concepts to express abstract emotions is a shared cognitive pattern among humans. From the perspective of cognitive thinking, humans typically use concrete, tangible objects or relationships to express abstract and complex concepts and emotions. A fissure often disrupts a state of wholeness; thus, its presence can signify discord in interpersonal relationships, or even criticism and the breakdown of such relationships.Thirdly, the nature of the object involved is a primary factor driving changes in meaning. The terms wujian and bujian describe the alignment and consistency of concepts, yet their specific meanings differ depending on the objects being described: toward an admired figure, it implies praise; toward an elder, obedience; and toward a peer, intimacy.Fourthly, while wujian and bujian carry rich semantic nuances, they are best understood as holistic concepts. The crucial point is that these negative constructions must be viewed as integral wholes rather than being broken down into parts.In short, we advocate paying close attention to words that may appear ordinary on the surface yet possess distinct meanings when reading classical texts; this is the most fundamental and essential step towards accurately understanding these classics and genuinely inheriting and carrying forward Chinese culture.
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Received: 30 June 2026
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2026, Vol. 56 
