The deed of study accumulates daily, the deed of Tao diminishes daily,

忘知 · Wàng Zhī

Classical Chinese Text

为学日益，为道日损，损之又损，以至于无为。无为而无不为，取天下常以无事；及其有事，不足以取天下。

Translation & Meaning

The deed of study accumulates daily, the deed of Tao diminishes daily, diminishes and diminishes again, until it reaches Wu Wei. Nothing is done so nothing is undone, governing all that is under heaven uneventfully; for being eventful, is not enough to govern all that is under heaven.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 学 (xué): classical character (xué)
  • 日 (rì): classical character (rì)
  • 益 (yì): classical character (yì)
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 损 (sǔn): classical character (sǔn)
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 又 (yòu): upon / further / layered
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 至 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 于 (yú): to / at / in
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 取 (qǔ): classical character (qǔ)
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 常 (cháng): constant / dynamic invariable
  • 事 (shì): affairs / deeds
  • 及 (jí): classical character (jí)
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 足 (zú): classical character (zú)