Mencius

[ men-shee-uhs ]

noun

c380–289 b.c., Chinese philosopher.

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

Also (Older Spellings) Mengtse, Mengtze, (Wade-Giles) Mengtzu [muhng-dzuh], /ˈmʌŋˈdzʌ/, Mengzi.

Words Nearby Mencius

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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 | THE 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

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