Mencius

[ men-shee-uhs ]

/ ˈmɛn ʃi əs /

Save This Word!

noun

c380–289 b.c., Chinese philosopher.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also (Older Spellings) Mengtse, Mengtze, (Wade-Giles) Mengtzu

[muhng-dzuh], /ˈmʌŋˈdzʌ/, Mengzi.

Origin of Mencius

First recorded in 1770–80; Latinization of Chinese Mèng Zǐ “Master Meng” (birth name Mèng Kē) by European Jesuits in China in the 17th century

Words nearby Mencius

Menasha, menat, menazon, men-children, Menchú, Mencius, Mencken, Mencken, H. L., mend, mendacious, mendacity

How to use Mencius in a sentence

“Mencius Moldbug” slowed down the writing to a trickle and returned to relative obscurity in 2013.
Occupying the Throne: Justine Tunney, Neoreactionaries, and the New 1%|Arthur Chu|August 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mencius was reared by his widowed mother, whose virtue and wisdom are still proverbial in China.
The Worlds Greatest Books, Volume XIII.|Various
Mencius remarked that the feeling of pity is common to all men, and what was true in his day is no less so now.
Village Life in China|Arthur H. Smith
Mencius openly said that if a ruler did not rule for his people's good it was a duty to resist his authority and depose him.
Intimate China|Mrs. Archibald Little

But the latter would not carry out his principles, and Mencius threw up his post.
A History of Chinese Literature|Herbert A. Giles
The following is a specimen of the logomachy of the day, in which Mencius is supposed to have excelled.
A History of Chinese Literature|Herbert A. Giles

British Dictionary definitions for Mencius

Mencius

/ (ˈmɛnʃɪəs, -ʃəs) /

noun

Chinese name Mengzi or Meng-tze. ?372–?289 bc, Chinese philosopher, who propounded the ethical system of Confucius

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012