《论语》中“斯”字及相关事象的辨析

The Analyses of the Word “Si” and Its Related Things in Analects of Confucius

斯的本义指的是以斧劈木,谓析分。孔子所熟悉的先秦经典著作,往往用它的这种本义。《论语》出现的"斯"字,也经常用它的这种本义或引伸义,需要结合具体语境加以考察辨析。《论语》中有些"斯"字与它原始本义疏离,从而导致词性和意义的演变,成为代词或连词。这种演变从孔子的时代就已经开始,到孔子后进弟子那里,演变的趋势更加明显。对《论语》的解读,应该兼顾"斯"字的原始本义、引伸义和假借义,梳理辨析相关的事象。

The original meaning of ＂Si＂ is to chop wood with an axe, in the classics of pre-Qin dynasty known well by Confucius. In the Analects of Confucius, the ＂Si＂ is often used in the original or extended meaning. The understanding of it needs specific context. Some of the uses of ＂Si＂ deviate from its original meaning, which leads to the change of part of speech and meaning, and makes it a pronoun or a conjunction. From the Confucius era to the era of the disciples of Confucius, this evolving trend is more and more evident. When we interpret ＂Si＂, we should consider the things related to the specific context in the ＂ Analects of Confucius＂, to decide on whether it is used in its original meaning, extended meaning or the borrowed meaning.