<p>From Strong</p>
<p>ἀγαπάω (agapo, 1st person singular): I love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem.</p>
<pre><code>1. love: 爱
2. wish well to: 对……表示同情；祝成功
3. take pleasure in: 乐于；喜欢
4. long for: 渴望
5. denotes the love of reason:  表示对理性的热爱
6. esteem: 尊重，敬重
</code></pre>
<p>The Christians made from that:</p>
<p>agapáō – properly, to prefer, to love; for the believer, preferring to &quot;live through Christ&quot; (1 Jn 4:9,10), i.e. embracing God's will (choosing His choices) and obeying them through His power.</p>
<p>Christianity is not a mainstream religion in China and such concepts are not Buddhist.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-28T09:21:25.770Z
2022-11-28T09:21:25.770Z
Pedroski
<p>In Christianity agape (derived from Ancient Greek 'ἀγάπη') means &quot;the highest form of love, charity&quot; and &quot;the love of God for man and of man for God&quot;. This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance.</p>
<p>Apparently the religious term &quot;agape&quot; has no direct equivalent in Classical Chinese. As for the pre-Christian Ancient Greek word &quot;ἀγάπη&quot;, there is a Chinese word used in both Classical and Modern Chinese: &quot;<strong>仁</strong>&quot;. Both are used to describe the unconditional, altruistic love among humans.</p>
<p>Note that the meaning of either ἀγάπη or 仁 may vary slightly in different contexts.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-28T09:21:01.800Z
2022-11-28T11:10:13.110Z
2022-11-28T11:10:13.110Z
user
<p>As I am searching the biblical meaning of agape (a Greek word), I discovered that 愛 in 文言文 is not so explicit and Chinese related words with agape are difficult to translate.  I would like to ask for one or two Chinese words of 愛 in 文言文 and 只是二到四個中文字.</p>
<p>example:
an inspiration from the ans. and the comment</p>
<blockquote>
<p>张孝基<strong>仁爱</strong>:
许昌士人张孝基，取同里富人女。富人惟一子，不肖，斥逐去。富人病且死，尽以家财付孝基。孝基与治后事如礼。久之，其子丐于途，孝基见之，<strong>恻然</strong>谓曰：“汝能灌园乎？”答曰：“如得灌园以就食，何幸！”孝基使灌园。其子稍自力，孝基怪之，复谓曰：“汝能管库乎？”答曰：“得灌园，已出望外，况管库乎？又何幸也。”孝基使管库。其子颇驯谨，无他过。孝基徐察之，知其能自新，不复有故态，遂以其父所委财产归之 。</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>modern version: (许昌有个读书人叫张孝基，娶同乡某富人的女儿。富人只有一个儿子，不孝顺，富人便骂着把他赶走了。富人生病将要死了，就把全部的家产都托付给了张孝基。张孝基按规定礼节为富人办了后事。过了很久，富人的儿子在路边乞讨，孝基看见了，<strong>同情</strong>地说道：“你会浇灌园圃吗？”富人的儿子答道：“如果能够（通过）浇灌园圃来得到食物，就太幸运了！”孝基便让他去浇灌园圃。富人的儿子渐渐能够自食其力，孝基对他的行为变化感到惊讶。又对他问道：“你能管理仓库吗？”富人的儿子答道：“让我浇灌园圃，已出乎我的意料，何况管理仓库呢？那真是太幸运了。”孝基就让他去管理仓库。富人的儿子很顺从而谨慎，没犯什么过错。孝基暗中观察他，知道他能改过自新，不再有旧时的坏习惯，于是便将他父亲所委托的财产归还给他了。)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>another example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>《禮記．檀弓上》記載了孔子學生曾參臨死前的一幕，原文是：</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>　　曾子寢疾，病。樂正子春坐於床下，曾元、曾申坐於足，童子隅坐而執燭。童子曰：「華而睆。大夫之簀與？」子春曰：「止！」曾子聞之。瞿然曰：「呼！」曰：「華而睆，大夫之簀與？」曾子曰：「然。斯季孫之賜也。我未之能易也。元，起易簀。」曾元曰：「夫子之病革矣，不可以變，幸而至於旦，請敬易之。」曾子曰：「爾之愛我也不如彼。<strong>君子之愛</strong>人也以德，細人之愛人也以姑息。吾何求哉？吾得正而斃焉斯已矣。」舉扶而易之，反席未安而沒。</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>modern version: •曾子病重卧床，在房間內有他的弟子樂正子春，兩個兒子曾元和曾申，還有一童僕坐在一角手拿蠟燭。童僕發現曾子的卧席又美麗又光潔，衝口而問是否大夫用的席！子春即時制止，可是曾子已聽到了，驚懼地叫了一聲。童僕不知就裏，再問那華美而光潔的席，是否大夫用的席。曾子表示同意，說席是季孫送的，他來不及更換，隨即吩咐曾元扶他起來換席。曾元表示曾子的病非常嚴重，不能移動，幸運地到了明早，才遵從意思換席。曾子指兒子愛他不如童僕，「<strong>君子之愛</strong>人也以德；細人之愛人也以姑息」，指君子會按照道德標準去愛護人，小人（這裏指不明達事理的人）愛人只會沒有原則地遷就。他表示沒有任何要求，只望能得到正道而死去，也就足夠。結果，曾元扶着、抬起曾子更換竹席，曾子還沒躺好便死了。•</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-28T08:45:40.570Z
I don't understand your question. Are you saying the word 愛 is not used in 文言文 and you are looking for words for "love" in 文言文? Also, what do you mean by "只是二到四個中文字" ?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-28T19:14:19.973Z
"agape" translated as "大爱" which is a religious or philosophic term that wasn't found in 文言文. I suggest posting a paragraph of the ancient text that contains the word "agape" and asking for a better translation than your understanding. I've voted to close this post.
r13
<translation>
love in 文言文 (anicent Chinese) before the introduction of 白話文
# love in 文言文 (anicent Chinese) before the introduction of 白話文

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-11-28)

As I am searching the biblical meaning of agape (a Greek word), I discovered that 愛 in 文言文 is not so explicit and Chinese related words with agape are difficult to translate. I would like to ask for one or two Chinese words of 愛 in 文言文 and 只是二到四個中文字.

example:
an inspiration from the ans. and the comment

> 张孝基**仁爱**:
> 许昌士人张孝基，取同里富人女。富人惟一子，不肖，斥逐去。富人病且死，尽以家财付孝基。孝基与治后事如礼。久之，其子丐于途，孝基见之，**恻然**谓曰：“汝能灌园乎？”答曰：“如得灌园以就食，何幸！”孝基使灌园。其子稍自力，孝基怪之，复谓曰：“汝能管库乎？”答曰：“得灌园，已出望外，况管库乎？又何幸也。”孝基使管库。其子颇驯谨，无他过。孝基徐察之，知其能自新，不复有故态，遂以其父所委财产归之 。

> modern version: (许昌有个读书人叫张孝基，娶同乡某富人的女儿。富人只有一个儿子，不孝顺，富人便骂着把他赶走了。富人生病将要死了，就把全部的家产都托付给了张孝基。张孝基按规定礼节为富人办了后事。过了很久，富人的儿子在路边乞讨，孝基看见了，**同情**地说道：“你会浇灌园圃吗？”富人的儿子答道：“如果能够（通过）浇灌园圃来得到食物，就太幸运了！”孝基便让他去浇灌园圃。富人的儿子渐渐能够自食其力，孝基对他的行为变化感到惊讶。又对他问道：“你能管理仓库吗？”富人的儿子答道：“让我浇灌园圃，已出乎我的意料，何况管理仓库呢？那真是太幸运了。”孝基就让他去管理仓库。富人的儿子很顺从而谨慎，没犯什么过错。孝基暗中观察他，知道他能改过自新，不再有旧时的坏习惯，于是便将他父亲所委托的财产归还给他了。)

another example:

> 《禮記．檀弓上》記載了孔子學生曾參臨死前的一幕，原文是：

> 　　曾子寢疾，病。樂正子春坐於床下，曾元、曾申坐於足，童子隅坐而執燭。童子曰：「華而睆。大夫之簀與？」子春曰：「止！」曾子聞之。瞿然曰：「呼！」曰：「華而睆，大夫之簀與？」曾子曰：「然。斯季孫之賜也。我未之能易也。元，起易簀。」曾元曰：「夫子之病革矣，不可以變，幸而至於旦，請敬易之。」曾子曰：「爾之愛我也不如彼。**君子之愛**人也以德，細人之愛人也以姑息。吾何求哉？吾得正而斃焉斯已矣。」舉扶而易之，反席未安而沒。

> modern version: •曾子病重卧床，在房間內有他的弟子樂正子春，兩個兒子曾元和曾申，還有一童僕坐在一角手拿蠟燭。童僕發現曾子的卧席又美麗又光潔，衝口而問是否大夫用的席！子春即時制止，可是曾子已聽到了，驚懼地叫了一聲。童僕不知就裏，再問那華美而光潔的席，是否大夫用的席。曾子表示同意，說席是季孫送的，他來不及更換，隨即吩咐曾元扶他起來換席。曾元表示曾子的病非常嚴重，不能移動，幸運地到了明早，才遵從意思換席。曾子指兒子愛他不如童僕，「**君子之愛**人也以德；細人之愛人也以姑息」，指君子會按照道德標準去愛護人，小人（這裏指不明達事理的人）愛人只會沒有原則地遷就。他表示沒有任何要求，只望能得到正道而死去，也就足夠。結果，曾元扶着、抬起曾子更換竹席，曾子還沒躺好便死了。•

**Tags:** translation
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't understand your question. Are you saying the word 愛 is not used in 文言文 and you are looking for words for "love" in 文言文? Also, what do you mean by "只是二到四個中文字" ?  
> **username_2**: "agape" translated as "大爱" which is a religious or philosophic term that wasn't found in 文言文. I suggest posting a paragraph of the ancient text that contains the word "agape" and asking for a better translation than your understanding. I've voted to close this post.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2022-11-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

In Christianity agape (derived from Ancient Greek 'ἀγάπη') means "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance.

Apparently the religious term "agape" has no direct equivalent in Classical Chinese. As for the pre-Christian Ancient Greek word "ἀγάπη", there is a Chinese word used in both Classical and Modern Chinese: "**仁**". Both are used to describe the unconditional, altruistic love among humans.

Note that the meaning of either ἀγάπη or 仁 may vary slightly in different contexts.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-11-28. Score: 1

From Strong
ἀγαπάω (agapo, 1st person singular): I love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem.
1. love: 爱
2. wish well to: 对……表示同情；祝成功
3. take pleasure in: 乐于；喜欢
4. long for: 渴望
5. denotes the love of reason:  表示对理性的热爱
6. esteem: 尊重，敬重

The Christians made from that:
agapáō – properly, to prefer, to love; for the believer, preferring to "live through Christ" (1 Jn 4:9,10), i.e. embracing God's will (choosing His choices) and obeying them through His power.
Christianity is not a mainstream religion in China and such concepts are not Buddhist.


---

