Look but cannot see, (is) called colorless; Listen but cannot hear, (i

贊玄 · Zàn Xuán

Classical Chinese Text

视而不见，名曰夷；听之不闻，名曰希；搏之不得，名曰微。此三者不可致诘，故混而为一。
其上不皦，其下不昧，绳绳兮不可名，复归于无物。是谓无状之状，无物之象，是谓惚恍⑩。
迎之不见其首，随之不见其后。执古之道，以御今之有⑾。能知古始，是谓道纪⑿。

Translation & Meaning

Look but cannot see, (is) called colorless; Listen but cannot hear, (is) called soundless; touch but cannot feel, (is) called shapeless. The three are unquestionable, and blend into one.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 视 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 见 (jiàn): see / display / manifest
  • 名 (míng): name / conceptual label / to name
  • 曰 (yuē): classical character (yuē)
  • 夷 (yí): classical character (yí)
  • 听 (tīng): classical character (tīng)
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 闻 (wén): classical character (wén)
  • 希 (xī): classical character (xī)
  • 搏 (bó): classical character (bó)
  • 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
  • 微 (wēi): classical character (wēi)
  • 此 (cǐ): classical character (cǐ)
  • 三 (sān): classical character (sān)
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 可 (kě): can / capable of being
  • 致 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 诘 (jié): classical character (jié)
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 混 (hùn): classical character (hùn)
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 一 (yī): classical character (yī)
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 上 (shàng): elevate / utmost / high
  • 皦 (jiǎo): classical character (jiǎo)
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 昧 (mèi): classical character (mèi)
  • 绳 (shéng): classical character (shéng)
  • 兮 (xī): classical character (xī)
  • 复 (fù): classical character (fù)
  • 归 (guī): classical character (guī)
  • 于 (yú): to / at / in
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 谓 (wèi): called / named / designated
  • 状 (zhuàng): classical character (zhuàng)
  • 象 (xiàng): appearance / image / form
  • 惚 (hū): classical character (hū)
  • 恍 (huǎng): classical character (huǎng)
  • 迎 (yíng): classical character (yíng)
  • 首 (shǒu): classical character (shǒu)
  • 随 (suí): follow / accompany
  • 后 (hòu): after / behind
  • 执 (zhí): classical character (zhí)
  • 古 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 御 (yù): classical character (yù)
  • 今 (jīn): classical character (jīn)
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 能 (néng): fruitful / capacity / ability
  • 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
  • 始 (shǐ): dawn / primordial origin
  • 纪 (jì): classical character (jì)